Nov. 18, 2009
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - The latest NCAA report on graduation rates shows Western Washington University student-athletes once again graduating at rates above the national average for NCAA Division II.
Data released today by the NCAA show that based on both the federally mandated graduation rate and the NCAA Academic Success Rate, Western student-athletes who entered as part of the 2002-03 freshman class graduated at a rate better than the national average for Division II.
The 2009 findings show 68 percent of Viking student-athletes receive their degrees in six years or less based on the Federal Graduation Rate formula. That was higher than both the national average for NCAA II schools (55 percent), and the average for the nine schools in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (51 percent).
The 68 percent graduation rate was also better than the already-impressive rate for all freshmen who entered Western in fall of 2002, 67 percent of whom graduated within six years.
"Western is recognized widely for its high overall graduation rates and, this year, the cohort graduation rate for student athletes was actually slightly higher than the excellent rates for the overall student body," said Western Vice President for Student Affairs Eileen Coughlin.
Using the NCAA Academic Success Rate, which includes all freshman student-athletes from the fall of 2001 and also accounts for student-athletes who transfer into or out of the institution, Western posted an 83 percent success rate, compared to the NCAA II national number of 70 percent.
The average ASR of the nine GNAC schools was 74 percent.
"Earlier this year, the NCAA Division II Director's Cup standings showed our intercollegiate athletics program was recognized as being among the top 10 nationally in overall athletic competitiveness," said Western director of athletics Lynda Goodrich. "Today's graduation numbers demonstrate that athletic competitiveness and academic excellence can and do go hand-in-hand at Western."
The 2009 Federal Graduation Rate Reports are based on student-athletes who entered universities during the 2002-03 academic year and graduated in six years or less. Student-athletes are defined as those "who received athletics aid" such as grants, scholarships, tuition waivers or other assistance from the institution upon initial enrollment.
Western's four-year (1999-2002) cohort for the federal report graduated at a 61 percent rate, also above the national average for NCAA II and the GNAC, both at 55 percent.
The Vikings also fared well regionally, having the third-highest federal graduation rate for both the 2002-03 group and the four-year cohort among the 24 NCAA II West Region schools reporting data, and being seventh in ASR.
