Five Teams Perfect, Kansas Beats National GSR Average

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Five Kansas Athletics programs achieved perfect scores as part of a department-wide effort that saw Jayhawk student-athletes collectively top the national Graduation Success Rate (GSR) average. Kansas posted an 84 percent GSR, one point off of the program record 85 set last year and three percentage points higher than the overall national average, in numbers released by the NCAA Thursday morning.

Kansas men’s basketball, men’s and women’s golf, softball and women’s tennis posted perfect GSRs, meaning for a four-year average all student-athletes either graduated or left the program in good academic standing. This year’s numbers reflect a four-year average for students who entered college from 2003-06.

Kansas set departmental records for GSR in each of the last two school years and maintained a level of excellence in the latest results. There is no NCAA penalty for a poor GSR score and conversely no reward, but the number provides a more accurate snapshot of student-athlete academic performance than the federal graduation rate. The Graduation Success Rate includes transfer students and student-athletes who leave in good academic standing, unlike the federal rate, which does not count transfers. The GSR and federal rate calculations measure graduation over six years from initial college enrollment.   

Kansas men’s basketball posted its second-consecutive perfect, four-year GSR score and remains significantly better than the sport’s national rate of 70 percent. Women’s tennis and men’s golf also repeated their perfect scores from a year ago and 8-of-14 programs with scores – cross country and track are grouped together – posted 90 percent GSRs or higher.  

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