By Chuck Pool for RiceOwls.com
Rice women student athletes once again led the nation in the Federal Graduation Rate, according to the latest Division I graduation success data released by the NCAA. Rice also had eight sports receive perfect marks for their success in the classroom according to the NCAA's Graduation Success Rate (GSR).
The Rice women, who shared the top spot with Stanford in the 2019 federal rate rankings, led the way alone this year at 97%, two percentage points ahead of the Cardinal.
Baseball, women's basketball, men's cross-country/track, soccer, swimming, men's and women's tennis, and volleyball each graduated all of their student athletes in the NCAA's GSR tabulations, which reflect the six-year graduation rates for college athletes who entered school in 2013.
Rice posted the fourth-highest federal rate among African American students (80%), moving up from eighth (75%) in 2019. Rice was fourth among Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs with a fed rate of 86%.
"I have gotten to know a number of student athletes from across all sports at Rice and seen firsthand the extraordinary breadth of their accomplishments," said Rice President David Leebron. "We congratulate all our students for exemplifying what intercollegiate athletics should be."
"Our student athletes do an exceptional job of prioritizing their work in the classroom," Rice Director of Athletics Joe Karlgaard said. "While I'm not surprised by the outstanding results, I am excited for Rice to assume a leadership role among all Division I schools in the commitment to academic achievement. Thank you to our coaches, staff, donors and all those who support our students in their pursuit of excellence."
The Owls' scores in the fed rate led both Conference USA and all FBS football programs in Texas.
The Federal Graduation Rate remains the only measure comparing student athletes with the general student body. Rice's student athletes ranked sixth nationally in the latest data, mirroring the rank of the Rice student body as a whole.
The Division I Board of Directors created the GSR in 2002 in response to college and university presidents who wanted data that more accurately reflected the mobility of college students than the federal graduation rate did. The federal rate counts as an academic failure any student who leaves a school, no matter whether they enroll at another school. Also, the federal rate does not recognize students who enter school as transfers.