Oct. 26, 2004
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SAN BRUNO, Calif. - For the third straight year, a recent report compiled by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) revealed that several West Coast Conference school's scholarship student-athlete graduation rates rank among the best in the nation.
Four WCC schools ranked in the top six among Division I institutions in the state of California. According to the report, Santa Clara University student-athletes graduated at a four-year average rate of 78 percent, second only to Stanford University, whose student-athletes graduate at a four-year average rate of 87 percent.
Just behind Santa Clara was University of San Diego, whose scholarship student athletes graduated at a 75 percent clip, the fourth best average in California among Division I institutions. San Diego was followed in the report by Loyola Marymount University and Saint Mary's College, with graduation rates of 69 and 67 percent, respectively.
In addition to the four WCC schools ranked in the top six in the state of California, Gonzaga University ranked first in the state of Washington, graduating 73 percent of its student-athletes over a four-class period. University of Portland finished second in the state of Oregon, just behind the University of Oregon, with a 62 percent average.
According to the NCAA report, the overall student-athlete graduation rate of all NCAA student-athletes who entered Division I colleges and universities in 1997 was 62 percent, which matches the all-time high set by the 1996 class.
The NCAA report gives graduation information about students and student-athletes entering in 1997. The graduation rate (percent) is based on a comparison of the number of student-athletes who entered a college or university and the number of those who graduated within six years.
The report provides information about student-athletes who received athletic aid in one or more of eight sports categories: football, men's basketball, baseball, men's track/cross country, men's other sports and mixed sports, women's basketball, women's track/cross country, and other women's sports. The four-class average includes student-athletes who entered the classes of 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97 or 1997-98.
About The West Coast Conference:
Established in 1952, the West Coast Conference is comprised of eight private Division I institutions that pride themselves on athletic and academic success. The current eight-school alignment of Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine, Portland, Saint Mary's, San Diego, San Francisco and Santa Clara has remained unchanged since 1979, making the WCC the third most stable conference in the nation. Only the Ivy League and the Pacific-10 Conference have been together longer. The WCC crowns champions in 13 sports: baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, women's rowing, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's tennis and women's volleyball. For more information about the West Coast Conference, please visit our website at www.WCCsports.com.
2004 NCAA Graduation Rates
Comparison of Division I Schools In the State Of California (Top 10)
Institution - Student Body - 4-Class Average - Student-Athlete Average - Student-Athlete 4-Class Average
Stanford - 94% - 93% - 87% - 87%
Santa Clara - 85% - 82% - 86% - 78%
UC Santa Barbara - 74% - 70% - 75% - 76%
San Diego - 72% - 69% - 78% - 75%
Loyola Marymount - 73% - 71% - 68% - 69%
Saint Mary's - 69% - 68% - 68% - 67%
UC Berkeley - 85% - 84% - 64% - 66%
UC Irvine - 79% - 75% - 68% - 64%
UC Riverside - 64% - 64% - 53% - 63%
USC - 81% - 76% - 64% - 62%
Comparison of Division I Schools In The State Of Washington
Institution - Student Body - 4-Class Average - Student-Athlete Average - Student-Athlete 4-Class Average
Gonzaga - 79% - 72% - 60% - 73%
Washington - 71% - 70% - 68% - 68%
Washington State - 60% - 60% - 58% - 62%
Eastern Washington - 44% - 46% - 43% - 50%
Comparison of Division I Schools In The State Of Oregon
Institution - Student Body - 4-Class Average - Student-Athlete Average - Student-Athlete 4-Class Average
Oregon - 60% - 59% - 63% - 67%
Portland - 67% - NA - 66% - 62%
Oregon State - 61% - 59% - 62% - 52%
Portland State - 33% - 32% - 36% - 44%
Division I National Average
Institution - Student Body - 4-Class Average - Student-Athlete Average - Student-Athlete 4-Class Average
Division I Average - 58% - 60% - 62% - 60%
Division IAAA Average - 53% - 52% - 61% - 60%
Division I Private Schools - 74% - 73% - 71% - 71%