Oct. 2, 2002
Siena College again placed well above the national average in graduating its student-athletes according to the most recent report released last week by the NCAA. The data, which covers all Division I student-athletes who entered college in 1995, indicated that the national graduation rate increased to 60 percent. Siena's graduation rate over the same time period was 87 percent.
The NCAA report, also listed a four-class average, which considers the graduation rates the school has amassed for the class years of 1995-96, 94-95, 93-94 and 92-93. Siena, which ranked in the top-20 nationally in each of the past three years, boasted an 83% four-class average graduation rate.
"We take pride in the performance of our student-athletes at Siena," said Director of Athletics John D'Argenio. "The success of our student-athletes in the classroom, however, is most important. For our student-athletes to again perform among the best in the nation academically is impressive."
The 87% rate for those student-athletes who entered school during the 1995-96 academic year ranked tied for seventh among all Division I-AA and I-AAA schools. The total tied for 12th among all Division I schools.
Notably, the most recent Siena student-athlete graduation rate of 87% was 12 percent higher than the graduation rate of the entire student body over the same time period. This marked the fifth consecutive year that Siena's student-athletes have graduated at a higher rate than the general student population.
The men's basketball team graduated 100% of the scholarship student-athletes who entered the program in 1995-96, tying for the national high. The women's basketball team had an 83% graduation rate over the same time period, still well above the national mark. The 1995-96 cohort rate for Division I male basketball players was 43%.
"The success is a direct credit to the hard work of Siena's student-athletes and the coaches' commitment to bringing well rounded students to their programs," Athletic Academic Advisor Michelle Bronner said. "Siena remains committed to developing its athletes on the playing field and in the classroom."
The NCAA study considers student-athletes that received athletic aid while at Siena. The report yielded a 99 percent graduation rate among Siena student-athletes who exhausted their eligibility. Athletes exhausting their eligibility are those who participated as scholarship athletes at Siena for a total of four years. Of the 69 athletes who qualified for exhausted eligibility, 68 graduated.
