Story Links
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA The American Football Coaches Association has recognized the University of Virginia among its honorees for graduation of its football players, the AFCA announced on Thursday.
This is the 23rd time the Virginia program has been cited since 1981. The Cavalier program received the Academic Achievement Award for the highest graduation rate in 1985 and 1986 and has garnered honorable mention recognition a record 21 times.
Colorado will receive the AFCA’s 2008 Academic Achievement Award, presented annually by the Touchdown Club of Memphis, for its 100-percent graduation rate of its freshman class of 2001.
UVa is one of 46 other institutions recognized for graduating 70 percent or more of their football student-athletes. Six of those institutions Cincinnati, Duke, Navy, Notre Dame, Rutgers and Vanderbilt achieved a rate of 90 percent or better. Joining UVa in receiving honorable mention accolades are: Air Force, Akron, Alabama, Arkansas State, Army, Baylor, Boston College, Bowling Green, Central Florida, Central Michigan, Colorado State, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Miami (Ohio), Middle Tennessee, Nevada, North Carolina, Northwestern, Ohio, Oregon State, Penn State, Rice, Southern Mississippi, Stanford, Syracuse, TCU, Texas Tech, Toledo, UCLA, Utah State, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Washington, Washington State and Wisconsin.
This year’s award marks the first time the NCAA’s Graduation Success Rate (GSR) formula has been used to select the winner. From 1981 to 2007 the award was presented based on a formula used by the College Football Association and AFCA.
The Academic Achievement Award was established by the College Football Association in 1981. The award recognized the CFA-member Football Bowl Subdivision institution with the highest graduation rate among members of its football team. When the CFA disbanded in 1997 the AFCA stepped in to present the award and conduct a graduation rate survey that encompassed all members of the FBS.
The GSR is based on a six-year graduation window for student-athletes which is a change from the five-year window used by the CFA and AFCA. The GSR was developed by the NCAA as part of its academic reform initiative to more accurately assess the academic success of student-athletes. The GSR holds institutions accountable for transfer students, unlike the federal graduation rate. The GSR also accounts for midyear enrollees.
Under GSR calculation, institutions are not penalized for outgoing transfer students who leave in good academic standing. These outgoing transfers are passed to the receiving institution’s GSR cohort. By counting incoming transfer students and midyear enrollees, the GSR increases the total number of student-athletes tracked for graduation by more than 37 percent. The NCAA also calculates the federal graduation rate for student-athletes because it is the only rate by which to compare student-athletes to the general student body.
Conference Breakdown: Mid-American (7), Atlantic Coast (6), Pac-10 (5), Big 10 (4), Big East (4), Southeastern (4), Big 12 (3), Conference USA (3), Independent (3), Mountain West (3), Western Athletic (3), Sun Belt (2).
Most Awards: Duke has won or shared the Academic Achievement Award 12 times. Notre Dame is second with seven awards.
Honorable Mention: Virginia has earned honorable mention honors 21 times. Notre Dame and Rice have been honored 20 times.