MSU Athletics Sets New School Record for Student-Athlete Success

Michigan State Athletics just posted an all-time high for the graduation rates of its student-athletes.

The NCAA released data today that shows that, collectively, MSU student-athletes posted all-time highs for Graduation Success Rates (GSR) and Federal Graduation Rates (FGR) for the four most recent classes.

By the NCAA’s measurements, each incoming class gets six years to graduate — so these numbers represent the freshman classes that started at MSU in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012.

According to an MSU press release:

Michigan State student-athletes posted a GSR of 91%, bettering last year’s 88%. Seven sports posted a 100% GSR, including men’s basketball, men’s tennis, rowing, field hockey, women’s golf, women’s soccer and volleyball. Sixteen of MSU’s 21 sports posted a GSR greater than 85%, including football which posted an all-time high of 90%.

In order to provide an accurate look at student-athlete success, the GSR removes from its calculations the student-athletes who leave school while still academically eligible and includes student-athletes who transfer in after initially enrolling elsewhere.

“Our student-athletes work hard every day, balancing the responsibilities that come with playing a sport and pursuing their college degree,” MSU executive director of Student-Athlete Support Services Todd Edwards said in a release. “We take great pride in watching them reach their goals, including graduating with a degree from Michigan State University. Their academic success is a tribute to their hard work, supportive coaches who emphasize academics, and the care and commitment provided by our staff, both within the department and the broader MSU community.”

In case you’re wondering, the FGR is defined as “the proportion of first-year, full-time student-athletes who entered a school on athletics aid and graduated from that institution within six years.”

The FGR does not take into account students who transfer from their original institution and graduate elsewhere — apparently they are considered non-graduates at both the college they left and the one from which they eventually graduate. That’s probably why the GSR is considered a better measurement of an athletic department’s success in this area.

The FGR for the Michigan State Spartans inched up to 76%, a tad higher than last year’s 75%.

Kudos go out to the women’s golf team which — in addition to posting some great scores lately — posted a four-year FGR of 100%. Well done.