TEMPE – For the third year in a row, Sun Devil Athletics matched its all-time high of 93 percent Graduation Success Rate (GSR) for its student-athletes, announced by the NCAA on Wednesday.
Sun Devil Athletics has either maintained or surpassed its all-time best GSR every year since 2008. Thirteen teams posted GSR scores at 100 percent, which is tied for the largest number of teams at 100, a mark also reached by Arizona State in 2023. Those teams are men’s and women’s basketball, beach volleyball, men’s and women’s golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s tennis, water polo and wrestling.
“We’re proud to celebrate another record Graduation Success Rate for Sun Devil Athletics. This milestone underscores the dedication and achievement of our student-athletes,” said Athletics Director Graham Rossini. “We place tremendous value on their academic success, knowing that strong performance in the classroom, paired with excellence in competition, positions them for long-term success as they enter the workforce. A record GSR is a direct result of their hard work and the unwavering support of our coaches and academic staff.”
Sun Devil Athletics' GSR has risen 24 percent since the metric was first introduced by the NCAA in 2005 and ASU set a new goal of 90 percent after surpassing its original goal of 80 percent in 2012. Among women student-athletes, GSR is 97 percent, their eighth year in a row at 95 percent or better. For men, it's the fifth year at 89 percent or better.
Women's tennis continued 17-consecutive years in which they've recorded 100 percent GSR. Men's basketball, gymnastics and women's swimming and diving all reached 100 percent GSR for the eighth-straight year. Women's basketball earned 100 percent for the seventh year in a row. Women's golf earned 100 percent GSR for their fifth year in a row. A handful of teams have reached three-consecutive years at 100 percent: beach volleyball, men’s golf, soccer, men’s tennis, water polo and wrestling. Softball recorded a 100 percent for the first time in five years.
“Reaching a 93 percent Graduation Success Rate for the third-consecutive year reflects the dedication of our student-athletes, who work every day to excel academically and prepare for life after sport,” said Senior Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Development and Wellbeing Andrea Lore. “This accomplishment also reflects the coordinated efforts of the student-athlete development staff, coaches, administrators, university faculty, and academic advisors, all united in their dedication to providing an environment that enables student-athletes to reach their educational goals and prepare for success beyond athletics.”
GSR is the NCAA's primary tool for measuring academic success in Division I athletics and, unlike the federal government's methodology, accounts for student-athlete transfers from one institution to another. It's designed to show the proportion of student-athletes on any given team who earn a college degree.
This is the 32nd release of institutional graduation rates since national "right-to-know" legislation was passed in 1990. In 2005, the NCAA DI Committee on Academic Performance released the first set of GSR data. For the full NCAA post, head to their website.