Dec. 8, 2015
Waco, Texas – The Vanderbilt football program will share the 2015 Academic Achievement Award with a perfect graduation success rate, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) announced today.
This marks the fourth time that Vanderbilt has captured or shared the Academic Achievement Award, having previously been recognized in 1996, 2001 and 2008 by the coaches association. Only three other programs nationally – Notre Dame, Northwestern and Duke – have been honored more than the Commodores.
Vanderbilt Head Coach Derek Mason is expected to accept the Academic Achievement Award trophy Jan. 11 at the President’s Kickoff Luncheon held in conjunction with the AFCA annual convention in San Antonio. The Memphis Touchdown Club and AFCA are co-sponsors of the award.
“This is a tremendous honor for our team, the athletics department and Vanderbilt University,” Mason said. “I look forward to accepting the Academic Achievement Award on behalf of our student-athletes, coaches, academic support staff and administration. It speaks directly to the classroom success of our student-athletes, and Vanderbilt’s commitment that earning a degree is vital to the players’ campus experience.”
Vanderbilt and co-recipient Duke were the only programs nationally to register a 100 percent graduation rate for members of its freshman football student-athlete class of 2008. The AFCA award is based on the NCAA’s Graduation Success Rate (GSR), which measures student-athlete graduation rates over a six-year window.
The GSR was developed by the NCAA as part of its academic reform initiative to more accurately assess the academic success of student-athletes.
The Vanderbilt football team also ranks as a national leader in Federal Graduation Rate results.
The Academic Achievement Award was established in 1981 by the College Football Association. The award recognized the CFA-member Football Bowl Subdivision institution with the highest graduation rate among members of its football team. When the organization disbanded in 1997, the AFCA stepped in to present the award and conduct a graduation rate survey that encompasses all 128 Football Bowl Subdivision members.
The list of Academic Achievement Award recipient since 1995 follows:
2015 – Vanderbilt, Duke
2014 – Duke, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Stanford
2013 – Georgia, Rice, Stanford, Tulane
2012 – Northwestern, Stanford
2011 – Boise State, Miami (Ohio)
2010 – Northwestern, Rice
2009 – Notre Dame, Miami (Fla.)
2008 – Vanderbilt
2007 – Northwestern, Notre Dame
2006 – SMU
2005 – Duke, Northwestern
2004 – Boston College, Northwestern
2003 – Duke
2002 – Northwestern
2001 – Vanderbilt, Notre Dame
2000 – Syracuse
1999 – Duke
1998 – Northwestern
1997 – Duke
1996 – Vanderbilt, Boston College, Duke
