Gonzaga earns high marks again for student-athletes’ graduation rates

Gonzaga shares second place nationally with its student-athletes graduating at a 99 percent rate, according the latest NCAA figures.

Harvard was No. 1 with a 100 percent Graduation Success Rate (GSR). The Zags shared second with Columbia, Dartmouth, Evansville, Loyola-Chicago and Yale.

It’s the second consecutive year Gonzaga has a 99 percent GSR, which ranks above the NCAA average of 85 and the WCC average of 90.

“The hard work and dedication our student-athletes put toward getting their degrees is amazing, and these numbers show that,” athletic director Mike Roth said in a news release. “They are not only tremendous athletes, but tremendous students as well. And our faculty, coaches and academic support staff have done a great job of supporting them in the classroom and in competition to allow them to flourish.”

Ten GU teams had 100 percent graduation rates, led by women’s cross country, track and field, and golf posting perfect marks for the 14th consecutive year. Other teams with perfect GSRs include men’s cross country and track and field (11 straight years), men’s tennis (10), men’s soccer (nine), women’s soccer (eight), men’s golf (seven), women’s basketball (three) and men’s basketball (two).

The GSR formula removes from the rate student-athletes who leave school while academically eligible and includes student-athletes who transfer to a school after initially enrolling elsewhere.