Bentley Athletics leads nation in graduation rate for seventh consecutive year
WALTHAM, Mass. - For the seventh consecutive year, Bentley University student-athletes have the highest graduation rate in the nation at 99%, according to the latest NCAA Division II Academic Success Rate report. Bentley was one of only two schools with this top graduation percentage out of more than 300 colleges and universities.
The Academic Success Rate represents the percentage of student-athletes who graduate within six years of initial enrollment at a college. This marks the 10th straight year that Bentley has achieved a rate of 97% or better and the 13th consecutive year in which it has been above 90%. Bentley has a long history of exceeding the national average student-athlete graduation rate, which this year is 76%.
"We take great pride in being #1 in the ranking that matters most for our student-athletes – their academic success," said Paul Tesluk, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. "The commitment of our student-athletes to excelling not just on the playing field, the court and the ice but also in the classroom is what sets Bentley apart."
Of the 19 Bentley sports that were evaluated, 14 had perfect 100% graduation rates. They are baseball, women's basketball, men's golf, women's lacrosse, men's lacrosse, hockey, women's soccer, softball, men's tennis, women's tennis, volleyball, women's swimming and diving, men's cross country and track, and women's cross country and track.
With its 100% graduation rate, Bentley's Division I hockey team was one of only 16 nationally to earn a perfect score. The success of the university's student-athletes is at the core of the strategic plan guiding Bentley Athletics, which focuses on ensuring they will be outstanding leaders in sport, in the classroom and in the world.
About the Ranking
The NCAA developed the Division II Academic Success Rate as a more accurate picture of student success than graduation data compiled by the federal government. The Academic Success Rate takes transfer students into account and removes students who left the institution in good academic standing. In addition, the rate also measures student-athletes who don't receive athletically related financial aid, a significant number of Division II athletes.