Syracuse Continues to Soar Above National GSR Average

Syracuse University continues to demonstrate its commitment to academic excellence among student-athletes, achieving a remarkable 92 percent Graduation Success Rate (GSR) for the 2018 cohort.

Syracuse continues to pace ahead of the national average, which sits at 90 percent.

“Our student-athletes continue to excel in both competition and the classroom at Syracuse University,” said Katie Scanlon, Director of Student-Athlete Success and Engagement. “Our continued success showcases the commitment of our student-athletes and staff in prioritizing education, while competing at the highest levels.”

A number if teams earned perfect GSRs in this year’s report, including: women’s basketball, field hockey, men’s track & field and cross country, men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball. All but two teams came in ahead of the national average.

Syracuse University’s long-standing emphasis on student-athlete success is evident in its consistent improvement in GSR over the years, reflecting a culture of academic support and institutional pride. 

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) started measuring GSR, which includes those who entered midyear, as well as student-athletes who transferred into the institution, in 2004.

Syracuse GSR Facts & Figures of Note

• Women’s tennis and women’s volleyball programs achieved a perfect 100% for the 14th consecutive year, the longest active streaks in the athletics department.
• The volleyball program has 16 perfect GSR scores in 21 years of the metric, which is the most of any program at Syracuse.
• The Orange men’s cross country and men’s track & field teams have scored a perfect 100% for 12 years in a row and the 14th time in the 21 years.
• The men’s lacrosse team has an eight-year streak of perfect scores.
• The women’s basketball team has posted a perfect score in each of the last seven years.
• Men’s and women’s soccer have a six-year perfect score streak.
• The women’s soccer program has produced 13 perfect GSR scores.

The NCAA instituted the GSR to more accurately reflect the mobility of college students as compared to the Federal Graduation Rate. The Graduation Success Rate takes into account students who start college in a spring semester, students who transfer into Syracuse from another institution, and gives credit for students who transfer to another four year institution in good standing. The federal rate does not account for these individuals. Thus GSR formula provides a more complete and accurate picture by considering all student athletes who attend Syracuse University.