INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.—Columbia Athletics tied for the national lead in Graduation Success Rate (GSR) with a combined 99 percent in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's 2018 report released last month. The report reflects student-athlete data collected from the four-year period from 2008-11.
With its 99 percent graduation rate, Columbia tied Dartmouth, Yale, Evansville, Gonzaga and Loyola, Ill. for the nation's best overall rate when accounting for all varsity sports. Since the GSR's inception, Columbia has ranked among national leaders. The 99 percent rate matched Columbia's rating in the 2017 report.
"It is a tremendous accomplishment for our department to lead NCAA Division I in Graduation Success Rate," Columbia University Campbell Family Director of Intercollegiate Athletics
Peter Pilling said. "These numbers reflect the continued hard work put in by our student-athletes and demonstrate their commitment to academic excellence. I would also like to thank our coaches, administration, campus advisors and campus administrators that have worked hard to support our student-athletes along the way."
Fourteen Columbia varsity sports programs produced a perfect 100 percent rating including baseball, men's golf, men's tennis, women's basketball, women's cross country/track and field, women's rowing, women's fencing, field hockey, women's golf, women's lacrosse, women's soccer, softball, women's tennis and volleyball. Sports that the NCAA does not sponsor are not included.
The Ivy League led the nation's conferences in NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) for the eighth consecutive year with a combined average of over 97 percent across its eight institutions.
COLUMBIA YEAR-BY-YEAR GRADUATION SUCCESS RATE (2004-11)
| Year |
Rate |
| 2004 |
99 |
| 2005 |
98 |
| 2006 |
97 |
| 2007 |
97 |
| 2008 |
98 |
| 2009 |
98 |
| 2010 |
99 |
| 2011 |
99 |
COLUMBIA SPORT-BY-SPORT GRADUATION SUCCESS RATE (2008-11)
MEN'S SPORTS
| Sport |
Rate |
| Baseball |
100 |
| Basketball |
94 |
| Cross Country/Track & Field |
98 |
| Fencing |
92 |
| Football |
98 |
| Golf |
100 |
| Soccer |
96 |
| Swimming & Diving |
97 |
| Tennis |
100 |
| Wrestling |
96 |
WOMEN'S SPORTS
| Sport |
Rate |
| Basketball |
100 |
| Cross Country/Track & Field |
100 |
| Fencing |
100 |
| Field Hockey |
100 |
| Golf |
100 |
| Lacrosse |
100 |
| Rowing |
100 |
| Soccer |
100 |
| Softball |
100 |
| Swimming & Diving |
97 |
| Tennis |
100 |
| Volleyball |
100 |
Note: Columbia varsity sports not sponsored by the NCAA are not included: men's heavyweight rowing, men's lightweight rowing, archery, men's squash, women's squash.
