Nov. 2, 2010

Siena College student athletes continue to get the job done academically. Using the most recent data released by the NCAA last week, Siena's student athletes earned a 95% Graduation Success Rate (GSR). It ranks as the fifth highest rate among all Division I institutions. Siena student athletes also had the eighth best Graduation Rate (82%) using the federal methodology, which was 9% higher than the rate attained by Siena's general student population (73%).

"Siena is extremely fortunate to have student athletes who value their academic responsibilities," director of athletics John D'Argenio said. "We are also fortunate to have coaches who recruit students dedicated to enriching the Siena community by leading a balanced and productive life. These factors, in conjunction with our academic support services, keep our GSR among the top-10 percent in the country."

The report gives graduation information about students and student athletes who entered college in 2003. This is the most recent graduating class for which the required six years of information is available.

For the second straight year, half of Siena's 18 Division I sports posted a perfect 100% cohort GSR. The cohort rate considers all scholarship student athletes who entered school from 2000-2003 and graduated within the six-year window. Those sports were: men's cross country, men's golf, men's tennis, women's cross country, women's soccer, women's tennis, field hockey, softball and water polo. All of Siena's varsity teams equaled or outperformed the cohort GSR national average.

Siena's basketball programs surpassed the cohort GSR national average by a large margin. The men's basketball team posted an 83% cohort GSR according to the report, while the national average is 66%. The women's basketball team posted a 93% cohort GSR compared to the national average of 85%.

The NCAA developed the GSR six years ago because the federal graduation rate does not credit institutions with student athletes who leave in good academic standing or transfers into the school who graduate. The GSR accounts for both transfer groups providing a more comprehensive depiction of student athlete academic success, since it captures about 35 percent more students than the federal methodology.

The GSR adds to the first-time freshmen, those students who entered midyear, as well as student-athletes who transferred into an institution. In addition, the GSR subtracts students who are considered allowable exclusions (those who either die or become permanently disabled, those who leave the school to join the armed forces, foreign services or attend a church mission), as well as those who would have been academically eligible to compete had they returned to the institution.

Siena is one of just 22 schools to have posted a GSR of 93% or above in all six GSR reports.

Using the federal government's methodology, Siena student athletes who entered college in 2003 graduated at 82%, well above the 64% rate for all Division I student athletes.

A graduation rate (percent) is based on a comparison of the number of students who entered a college or university and the number of those who graduated within six years. For example, for every 100 Siena student athletes entering school, 82 graduate from Siena within six years.

Siena was second among all Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference institutions with an 82% graduation rate (Marist - 85%) and tied for second among MAAC schools in GSR (behind only Loyola University Maryland - 97%).