UK Athletics Posts Record Graduation Rates Again
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 20, 2020) — The steady progression of academic achievement for the University of Kentucky Athletics Department continues. Wildcat student-athletes broke records for Graduation Success Rate and Federal Graduation Rate as released Tuesday by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
“We’re proud of our student-athletes for setting graduation records again,” Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said. “In addition to being a tribute to our students, we also recognize the leadership of our coaches and the guidance of our CATS (Center for Academic and Tutorial Services) staff for helping make this happen.”
UK’s NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR), a four-year composite statistic for the freshman classes of 2010-11 through 2013-14, was 92%. That tops the previous school record of 91% set last year, continuing UK Athletics’ streak of breaking or tying the mark every year since the NCAA began tracking the statistic in 2005.
In addition to being a school record, Kentucky’s GSR of 92% is two points above the national Division I average of 90%.
“GSR is a long-term metric that reflects the cumulative efforts of the UK team — our students, a world class faculty, professional academic support staff, coaches and so many others,” said Jason Cummins, UK executive associate athletics director of student-athlete experience. “Their pursuit of knowledge lays the foundation for future impact across multiple professional endeavors.”
The GSR includes all scholarship student-athletes who are on scholarship their first semester of enrollment. Athletes who transfer or depart for the professional ranks in good standing do not count against the school's GSR. Schools also are allowed to count incoming transfers and January enrollees who subsequently graduate toward the GSR.
Here are UK Athletics’ GSR scores in the 16-year history of the measure:
Year NCAA GSR
2020 92%
2019 91
2018 88
2017 85
2016 82
2015 81
2014 81
2013 79
2012 79
2011 77
2010 74
2009 73
2008 73
2007 71
2006 71
2005 68
The Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) is also a four-year composite statistic for freshman classes from 2010-11 through 2013-14. UK’s latest FGR mark is 65%, breaking the record of 61% from the previous two years. Data for this statistic is available since 1991.
In the FGR, student-athletes who transfer or depart early for the professional ranks count as non-graduates, regardless of their academic standing or subsequent graduation from another institution. Incoming transfer students, from junior college or four-year schools, who graduate at UK are not counted as graduates. These factors account for the difference between the FGR and the NCAA GSR.
With those record graduation rates, 97 Wildcats received diplomas during the 2019-20 academic year alone. UK student-athletes are also receiving high marks in the classroom combining to surpass the department’s goal of a 3.0 grade-point average in 16 consecutive semesters.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.