- CLICK HERE for a Searchable Graduation Success Rate (GSR) Database
- CLICK HERE for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Release
BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — The best men’s water polo conference of Division I scholars is on the East Coast as the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) leads the Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC), Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF), Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) and Golden Coast Conference per the latest National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Graduation Success Rate (GSR) Report.
According to Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data based on those who entered college in 2013 and graduated within six years, athletes from Bucknell University, Fordham University, George Washington University, La Salle University and the United States Naval Academy graduated at a rate of 99.6 percent. Bucknell, Fordham, George Washington and La Salle recorded perfect 100 percent scores, while Navy was just off the pace with a 98 percentage.
The MAWPC’s Division II (Gannon University, McKendree University, Mercyhurst University, Salem University) and Division III (Connecticut College, Johns Hopkins University, Monmouth College, Wagner College) membership is not factored into the Graduation Success Rate which compares only Division I institutions. Further, Wagner College and Mount St. Mary’s University are not considered in the examination due to the Seahawks and Mountaineers not sponsoring men’s water polo during the defined time period.
Overall, five of the top 13 scores in the nation belong to the MAWPC with NWPC members Brown University, Harvard University and St. Francis College Brooklyn along with San Jose State University of the Golden Coast, Stanford University and the University of Southern California of the MPSF and the WWPA duo of Santa Clara University and the University of California-Davis joining Bucknell, Fordham, George Washington and La Salle in netting perfect 100 finishes.
Behind the MAWPC is fellow East Coast conference the NWPC. Brown, Harvard and St. Francis Brooklyn, Princeton University (93) and Iona College (86) combined for a score of 95.8.
Combining the MAWPC and NWPC, eight of the 13 best graduation rates hail from schools on the East Coast with seven of the 12 perfect scores (Brown, Harvard, St. Francis Brooklyn, Bucknell, Fordham, George Washington, La Salle, San Jose State, Stanford, USC, Santa Clara, UC-Davis) along with Navy hailing from the “Right Coast”.
The MPSF comes in third as Stanford, USC, the University of California (88) and the University of California-Los Angles (87) combine for a score of 93.75 as the MAWPC, NWPC and MPSF exceeded the men’s water polo national average graduate rate of 92.36.
The Golden Coast Conference stands fourth as San Jose State, the University of California-Irvine (90), the University of the Pacific (88), Long Beach State University (85), the University of California-Santa Barbara (84) and Pepperdine University (80) combine to average an 87.8 graduation rate.
Santa Clara, UC-Davis, Loyola Marymount University (86), the United States Air Force Academy (77) and California Baptist University (67) of the WWPA rate fifth as the quintet average an 86 percent graduation rate.
In total, the 25 men’s water polo programs combined for an average score of 92.36 to exceed the 90 percent GSR for all Division I student-athletes with Brown, Harvard, St. Francis Brooklyn, Princeton, Bucknell, Fordham, George Washington La Salle, Navy, San Jose State, UC-Irvine, Stanford, USC, Santa Clara and UC-Davis equaling or surpassing the all sports GSR.
The Division I Board of Directors created the GSR in 2002 in response to Division I college and university presidents who wanted data that more accurately reflected the mobility of college students beyond what the Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) measures. The federal rate counts as an academic failure any student who leaves a school, no matter whether he or she enrolls at another school. Also, the federal rate does not recognize students who enter school as transfer students.
When the Graduation Success Rate was created nearly two decades ago, then-NCAA President Myles Brand set an aspirational goal of 80%. Student-athletes first surpassed that goal with the release of the rates in 2011.
“The commitment of Division I college athletes to the classroom is incredible, and we celebrate their academic success,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said. “To see 90% of student-athletes accomplish the ultimate goal of college graduation is a testament to their hard work and dedication. We must also support initiatives that help the remaining 10% of student-athletes earn their degrees. The NCAA applauds the achievements of student-athletes and will continue to support their goals in the classroom, in competition and in life.”
Division I members have adopted academic rule and policy changes intended to improve the academic performance of student-athletes. The success of those rule changes is clear: Over the past 19 years, 33,505 more college athletes graduated than would have had the GSR remained at 74%, the GSR the year it was introduced.
Just in 2020, the increase accounts for 3,872 more student-athlete graduates.
The Federal Graduation Rate, however, remains the only measure to compare student-athletes with the general student body. Using this measure, student-athletes graduate at the same rate as the student body: 69%. Both college athletes and their peers in the student body increased by 1 point in the past year. Due to several programs not reporting FGR information, a comparative calculation among women’s water polo sponsoring institutions is not declarative for success.
Loading...
Reload document 
Open in new tab 