Terps post record graduation rate

Improved marks in the Terrapins men's basketball and football programs highlighted an all-time university-best Graduation Success Rate, according to figures the NCAA released yesterday.

The university's 82 percent GSR — a four-year measure of freshmen who enrolled on the campus between fall 2001 and fall 2004 — was up 2 percent from a year ago. In the metric's seven-year history, the figure marks the second straight year the university has set its own record.

The GSR ranks No. 8 in the ACC. Duke and Boston College (97 percent) posted the league's highest marks.

"Succeeding academically is of primary importance to everyone in our athletics department," Athletic Director Kevin Anderson said in a release. "This core value is something we take seriously."

Excluding men's tennis, the men's basketball and football programs had the lowest GSR scores, at 46 and 59 percent, respectively. Still, it's an improvement for men's basketball, whose rate is up from 31 percent. The team's rates are expected to rise further, as 15 of the past 17 players to exhaust eligibility in the program have graduated.

The football team, which was penalized three scholarships this year due to low Academic Progress Rates, has made significant progress and "does not anticipate further penalties from the NCAA," according to the university's release.

"Our staff has worked very hard over the last year to improve our processes and support," Associate Athletic Director Chris Uchacz said. "We are starting to see the positive results of these changes manifested in the GSR scores released this week."

Women's swimming and water polo both posted 100 percent scores, while men's golf had a perfect Federal Graduation Rate score, which takes into account transfer students.

Wrestling (92 percent) had the highest GSR score among male sports.

Nationwide, more than eight in 10 student-athletes are earning degrees within six years, according to the NCAA's report.

ceckard@umdbk.com