Wildcats Break, Tie Graduation Records

LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky student-athletes broke one school record for graduation rate and tied another in the annual report issued Wednesday by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

The NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR), a four-year composite statistic for the freshman classes of 2007-18 through 2010-11, was 85 percent. That broke last year’s school record of 82 percent and continued UK’s trend of having broken or tied the mark for earning diplomas every year since the NCAA began charting graduation in 2005.

The GSR includes all scholarship athletes. Athletes who transfer in good standing do not count against the school’s GSR. Schools also are allowed to count incoming transfers and January enrollees who subsequently graduate.

Here are the annual scores for UK student-athletes breaking or tying the school record each year of the 13-year history of the GSR.

Year                             NCAA GSR
2017                             85 percent
2016                             82 
2015                             81  
2014                             81 
2013                             79         
2012                             79
2011                             77         
2010                             74
2009                             73
2008                             73
2007                             71
2006                             71
2005                             68

The Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) for student-athletes, also a four-year composite statistic for the freshman classes of 2007-08 through 2010-11, is 59 percent, tying the school record posted in four of the last five years.  Data for this statistic is available since 1991. In the FGR, student-athletes who transfer count as non-graduates, regardless of their academic standing or subsequent graduation from another institution. Incoming transfer students, from junior college or four-year schools, who graduate at UK are not counted as graduates. These factors account for the difference between the FGR and the NCAA GSR.

These improvements reflect the emphasis on academic achievement by Mitch Barnhart, who became director of athletics in 2002.

“It is gratifying to see a record for graduation rate year after year,” Barnhart said. “I am pleased with our progress and want us to continue to challenge our staff, coaches and students to ascend to places and efforts we have never before seen.”

The long-term outlook remains bright for UK’s student-graduation numbers. One of Barnhart’s goals for UK Athletics is a composite 3.0 grade-point average for all student-athletes. The Wildcats have hit that goal the last 10 semesters.