Rider student-athletes garner 93% Graduation Success Rate

Rider University student-athletes achieved a 93-percent Graduation Success Rate for the 2008-11 cohort, part of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference's (MAAC) collective 91-percent Graduation Success Rate (GSR), announced by the NCAA.

The MAAC stands fourth in the nation among all Division I conferences for the four-year cohort, matching last year's rate.

"Our coaches and student-athletes should be commended for their commitment to academics," said Rider Senior Associate Athletic Director for Compliance and Internal Operations Greg Busch. "Our 93 percent graduation success rate is a testament to the focus we place on succeeding in both the classroom and on the playing fields."

All 11 MAAC institutions recorded a GSR of 90 percent or better, which is two more members than the last cohort. Fairfield University and Manhattan College garnered the highest overall GSR in the league at 97 percent. The Jaspers saw a three-percent increase from last year, while the Stags matched their rate from the 2007-10 cohort. Both institutions find themselves tied for 16th among all Division I colleges and universities.

Following Fairfield and Manhattan were Canisius College, Quinnipiac University, Rider University (each at 93 percent); Niagara University, Saint Peter's University and Siena College (each at 92 percent); Iona College and Monmouth University (each at 91 percent); and Marist College (90 percent).

"The MAAC is fully committed to excellence in both academics and athletics. Nothing illustrates this mission more than the high level of graduation reflected in our 11 institutions' Graduation Success Rates," said MAAC Commissioner Rich Ensor. "I congratulate the student-athletes and commend the academic support staffs who work every day to help our athletes achieve the ultimate goal of college sports: graduation."

The NCAA report also included the most recent Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) data. MAAC student-athletes checked in at number seven among DI institutions with a rate of 74 percent. The NCAA developed the GSR because the FGR does not credit colleges and universities with student-athletes who leave in good academic standing and go on to graduate from other institutions, or transfers into the school that graduates them.

Each year since 2005, the NCAA publicly announces the Graduation Success Rate of all Division I institutions. The governing body developed GSR in response to college and university presidents who wanted graduation data that more accurately reflected the mobility among all college students today. This year's data encompasses a four-year cohort of student-athletes entering school between 2008 and 2011.