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Somerset, NJ -- Graduation is the ultimate goal and Northeast Conference (NEC) student-athletes continue to reach the finish line at a high level. With a four-year graduation-success rate of 94 percent, Wagner ranks second in the NEC and above the leage average, 

Additionally, Wagner's Men's Golf, Men's Lacrosse, Men's Water Polo, Women's Basketball, Women's Golf, Women's Soccer, Women's Swiming and Diving,Women's Tennis, Women's Cross Country and Track and Field, and Women's Water Polo teams scored perfect graduation success rates of 100 percent. 

According to NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data based on those who entered college in 2015 and graduated within six years, NEC student-athletes graduated at a 91 percent rate, just one point off the conference's high-water mark. The NEC's GSR tied for 13th among the 32 NCAA DI conferences and was ahead of the 90 percent GSR for all Division I student-athletes.

Notably, NEC's men's basketball student-athletes tied for tenth out of 32 leagues, raising its GSR from a year ago by two percentage points to 89 percent. The NCAA DI average for men's basketball program programs was 84 percent. Saint Francis U led all NEC schools with a perfect 100 percent single-year GSR in men's hoops, with Wagner reaching 90 percent.

At 94 percent, NEC women's hoops has now achieved a 90 percent or better GSR in seven of the last eight years. Of note, Merrimack, Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn and Wagner all recorded perfect 100 percent GSR scores. SFBK has hit 100 percent in each of the last six years, while Sacred Heart and Wagner are on a five-year streak. In this latest cohort, seven NEC programs reached the 90 percent plateau.

"When I look at the graduation success rate data, it reaffirms our steadfast committement to building the complete student-athlete here at the Northeast Conference," said NEC Commissioner Noreen Morris. "Our student-athletes give it their all in every facet of the campus experience with an end goal to complete their journey with a diploma in hand and a blueprint for success in life. It's inspiring to see them excel in their discipline, acheive high marks in the classroom and make a lasting impact in their communties, and none of it would be possible without the support they receive from administrators, coaches and faculty who are all so invested in their development."
  
The NCAA data also showcased 64 NEC teams that achieved a perfect 100 percent GSR in their respective sports for student-athletes who enrolled from 2012 through 2015 and graduated within six years. Likewise, 47 percent of NEC teams earned a perfect GSR and 69 percent posted a 90 percent or better GSR.

LIU led the way with a four-year GSR average of 97 percent, with Wagner (94), FDU (92), Sacred Heart (92), St. Francis Brooklyn (91) and Saint Francis U (91) all at 90 percent or better.

Women's tennis and women's volleyball were the top sport performers in the NEC with six programs posting a perfect GSR, followed by five for women's swmming and diving. Women's basketball, women's bowling and men's and women's golf each had four schools at 100 percent GSR.

The NCAA overall single-year rate held steady at 90 percent, which continues to be the highest rate recorded.  

NCAA President Mark Emmert congratulated student-athletes on their continued academic success.
 
"Proud is an understatement to describe how we feel about the achievements of the talented student-athletes and the members who support them," Emmert said. "They continue to exceed expectations and excel in the classroom to earn their degrees. We celebrate their commitment to academic excellence and admire their dedication to shattering records, both academically and athletically." 
 
When the Graduation Success Rate was created more than two decades ago, then-NCAA President Myles Brand set an aspirational goal of 80 percent. Student-athletes first surpassed that goal with the release of the rates in 2011 and have continued on that path, raising the overall GSR 16 points (from 74 to 90 percent) since its inception.
 
Over the course of 20 years, significant gains have been demonstrated within the diverse student-athlete population. Black student-athlete graduation rates increased by 25 points from 56 to 81 percent, Hispanic/Latinx student-athletes recorded  a 24-point increase from 64 to 88% percent, Black FBS football student-athletes improved with 27 points from 54 to 81 percent, and Black men's basketball student-athletes moved up 35 points from 46 to 81 percent.

"The data is clear. The exponential graduation success of diverse student populations is truly remarkable," said Felicia Martin, NCAA senior vice president of inclusion education and community engagement. "We applaud the strides our students continue to make in the classroom and acknowledge the steps university and athletic leaders are taking to help achieve equitable academic success for all."

In men's sports, 20 years of increased academic success led to an 21-point increase in FBS football and a 28-point increase in men's basketball. Significant gains were also made in baseball, with a 23-point increase to 89 percent, and in men's wrestling, with a 24-point increase to 85 percent.

Women have continually performed well in graduation rates. Over the course of the past 20 years, the largest increase in graduation rates occurred in women's basketball and softball, which saw 13-point increases to 92 and 95 percent, respectively. Women's volleyball has seen a 12-point increases to 95 percent, and women's tennis is up 11 points to 97 percent.

Since the creation of the GSR, Division I members have adopted academic rule and policy changes intended to improve the academic performance of student-athletes. Those changes have had a clear and resounding impact: over the past 20 years, 41,655 more college athletes graduated than would have had the GSR remained at 74 percent, which was the GSR rate the year it was introduced.

In 2022 alone, the increase accounts for 4,205 more student-athlete graduates.

"Student-athletes continue to make impressive achievements in the classroom," said Dave Schnase, NCAA vice president of academic and membership affairs. "Student-athletes have demonstrated an incredible commitment to academic success while pursuing their sport at the Division I level. Member schools should be proud for creating meaningful, enriching and educational experiences that help our student-athletes graduate and set a course for long-term success."

About The Northeast Conference
Now in its 42nd season, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of nine institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to a number of the largest markets in the United States including New York (#1), Boston (#9), Hartford/New Haven (#33) and Providence (#53). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 24 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 15 different NCAA Championships. NEC member institutions include Central Connecticut, Fairleigh Dickinson, LIU, Merrimack, Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn, Saint Francis U, Stonehill and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league's official website official website (www.northeastconference.org) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, all @NECsports.