Philadelphia University ranks eighth in D-II with 95 percent ASR

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The NCAA released the 2011 Division II Academic Success Rate (ASR) and federal graduation rate for all D-II institutions Wednesday. The Philadelphia University department of athletics boasts an ASR of 95 percent, which is the eighth-best ASR in D-II.

Philadelphia’s 95 percent, which is 23 points higher than the national average of 72 percent, ranks the department second amongst the 16 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference schools, trailing only USciences (98 percent).

“The 2011 results of the NCAA Academic Success Rate Report truly exemplify our student-athletes’ dedication to excellence in the classroom,” said Stephanie Spada, Philadelphia University assistant director of athletics and senior woman administrator. “I would like to congratulate our student-athletes for successfully illustrating that academic success at Philadelphia University is considered paramount.”

Six of the Rams’ 11 athletic programs had a perfect ASR of 100 percent. Those programs were men’s golf, women’s lacrosse, women’s soccer, softball, women’s tennis and women’s volleyball. Four programs scored in the 90s: baseball and men’s tennis (92 percent), women’s basketball (91 percent) and men’s soccer (90 percent).

ASR is mandated by the NCAA and compiled by Division II institutions annually. This is the sixth year for the Division II ASR, which was developed at the request of college and university presidents who believed the federal graduation rate was flawed. Division II’s ASR data is similar to the Division I Graduation Success Rate as it takes transfer students in account. However, given the partial-scholarship financial aid model of Division II, ASR also includes student-athletes not on athletically related financial aid. The result is that ASR captures more than 36,000 non-scholarship student-athletes.