Basketball Graduation Rates Rank Second In Nation
Oct 17 | Men's Basketball
DALLAS (SMU) - For the second-straight year, the SMU men's basketball team had the nation's second-best graduation rate, according to a report released by The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Among the 117 Division I-A institutions, SMU trailed only Stanford in posting an 83 percent graduation rate for student-athletes who entered school from 1993-94 to 1996-97. The national average for men's basketball players over that four-year period was 42 percent.
Graduation rates were tabulated and released by the NCAA in its 2003 NCAA Graduation Rates Report. Among WAC schools, SMU's closest competitor was Rice at 58 percent, and among Texas schools, Baylor was second at 64 percent.
"We have tremendous pride in the accomplishments of the basketball program, both on the court and in the classroom," said Head Coach Mike Dement. "We are committed to academic success and graduating our players at SMU, and this honor is a reflection of the hard work by both our student-athletes and the academic support staff in our Learning Enhancement Center."
SMU will hold "Midday Madness," an open-to-the-public session following the SMU-Boise State football game, 5-8 p.m. on Oct. 18. Exhibition play is set for Nov. 8 and Nov. 16 as the Ponies will host InterHoops from Lithuania and EA Sports at Moody Coliseum.
2003 NCAA Men's Basketball Graduation Rates 1. Stanford 100% 2. SMU 83% 3. Miami (Fla.) 78% 4. Kansas 73% 5. Middle Tennessee State 71% 6. Tulane 69% 7. Duke 67% 7. West Virginia 67% 9. Baylor 64% 9. Mississippi State 64% 9. Notre Dame 64% 12. Virginia Tech 63% 13. Vanderbilt 62% 14. Rice 58% 14. Toledo 58% 16. Iowa State 57% 17. Michigan State 56% 17. Washington State 56% 19. Iowa 55% 19. North Carolina 55%
