VILLANOVA, Pa. - A new set of data on the Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of Division I athletics programs was released on Wednesday afternoon and Villanova continues to rank among the best in the nation in this measure of academic performance. Graduation Success Rates nationwide once again set new records in the latest reveal of student-athlete achievement, and with an overall 95 percent GSR the Wildcats continue to be ahead of the curve when compared to the national averages.

In the release of new data this week, Villanova had 14 of its athletic programs post a perfect 100 percent GSR for the 2007-2010 cohort. This data measures the percentage of student-athletes who entered college on institutional aid (whether athletics-based aid or otherwise) between those years and graduated within six years. Villanova had eight women’s programs and six men’s programs earn a 100 percent GSR in the release. The NCAA GSR differs from the federal graduation rate calculation in two important ways. First, the GSR holds colleges accountable for those student-athletes who transfer into their school. Second, the GSR does not penalize colleges whose student-athletes transfer in good academic standing.

The success of Wildcats student-athletes across-the-board stands out even more under closer examination of the latest GSR data. Villanova led all BIG EAST schools with 14 teams that achieved a perfect 100 percent GSR score, while every one of the 19 Villanova programs to have a score in the latest data matched or exceeded the national average for their sport. The Wildcats also performed particularly well in the high-profile sports of men’s and women’s basketball and football.

Villanova earned a perfect 100 percent GSR score in both men’s and women’s basketball. Among BIG EAST schools, only Villanova and Creighton achieved a perfect 100 percent score in men’s basketball. The Wildcats women’s basketball team was one of five BIG EAST programs with a 100 percent GSR score, but was the only one from that group to have a matching 100 percent score in the federal graduation rate calculation. Villanova had an 85 percent GSR score in football, three points higher than in last year’s data and far exceeding the national average of 74 percent for FCS programs. The Wildcats score of 85 percent is the second-highest among CAA Football programs.

The nationwide NCAA GSR scores, as well as the previous release of Academic Progress Rate (APR) information in the spring, showed the highest rates ever of academic success by Division I student-athletes. Villanova remains in the upper echelon of schools nationwide for its academic performance even while the Wildcats teams continue to succeed in athletic competition. Earlier this year, Villanova was named in a Forbes Magazine article that selected “25 Top Colleges That Dominate Academically and Athletically.”

During the past four academic years (2013-14 through 2016-17), the Wildcats won a combined 21 BIG EAST team titles and had its student-athletes garner All-America recognition a total of 79 times. In 2016-17 alone, Villanova competed in national postseason competition in men’s and women’s basketball, football, men’s soccer and women’s cross country. The Wildcats also had individual qualifiers for NCAA championships in men’s cross country and both men’s and women’s track & field.

Villanova Programs Earning a 100 Percent Graduation Success Rate (2007-2010 Cohorts)

Men’s Basketball
Women’s Basketball
Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field
Field Hockey
Golf
Men’s Lacrosse
Rowing
Men’s Soccer
Softball
Men’s Swimming & Diving
Women’s Swimming & Diving
Men’s Tennis
Volleyball
Water Polo