NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt Athletics finished with an overall Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 97 during the 2018-19 academic year — the highest of any Southeastern Conference program for the fifth straight year — the NCAA announced Wednesday.
Ten Vanderbilt programs earned a perfect score as the Commodores finished three points ahead of second-place South Carolina. Vanderbilt also ranked 23rd nationally overall, and third among Power 5 programs behind only Northwestern and Notre Dame.
Vanderbilt’s football program led the SEC with a GSR of 95, and only Duke (96) had a higher GSR among programs affiliated with a Power 5 conference.
The NCAA Graduation Success Rate tracks degree completion for student-athletes, even those who transfer. This year, the Commodores led or tied for conference-best GSR honors in 11 sports.
The 10 Commodore programs with perfect scores included bowling, lacrosse, soccer, men’s basketball, men’s cross country, men’s golf, women’s golf, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and women’s cross country/track and field (for NCAA purposes, Vanderbilt women’s cross country and track and field are combined in GSR measuring).
Swimming posted a 94 GSR while women’s basketball’s 93 ranked fourth among SEC programs. Baseball (91) ranked second among conference programs.
Vanderbilt posted a 3.2 grade-point average this past spring semester, the highest ever for the department. With its 3.162 cumulative grade-point average for 2018-19 athletic season, Vanderbilt exceeded a 3.0 grade-point average for the 14th straight year.
Vanderbilt’s NCAA Graduation Success Rate of 97 last year was the highest among Southeastern Conference institutions.
