NCAA Tournament Graduation Rates

[DaKCMan AP]

Graduation study pinpoints poor success rate at Ohio State

March 12, 2007
CBS SportsLine.com wire reports

Just 10 percent of Ohio State's basketball players received degrees at the school, according to a study that examined the freshman classes entering from 1996-99.

Taking into account players who transfer, enter from junior colleges and are graduated late, 38 percent of Buckeyes basketball players earned degrees during that period, said Richard Lapchick, director of the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports, on Monday.

Ohio State enters this year's NCAA Tournament as the nation's top-ranked team.

"The supposed Final Four, the top seeds are a real disparity there. Two of the schools, Florida and North Carolina, have really good graduation rates and Kansas and Ohio State don't have such good graduation rates," Lapchick said. "That's certainly an issue."

John Bruno, Ohio State's faculty representative for athletics, said there had been substantial turnover of staff, support personnel and coaches since Randy Ayers (1990-97) and Jim O'Brien (1998-04) coached the team. Bruno added that player academic support has improved.

"My intent is not to apologize for numbers that I as a faculty member think are not high enough," Bruno said. "We're not happy with these numbers, but we've got programs in place that are going to ensure that those numbers rise over time."

Under the formula of Federal Graduation Rates, no basketball player from NCAA-bound Florida A&M, Eastern Kentucky or Oregon received a degree from those four freshman classes, Lapchick's study said.

Using the yardstick Graduation Success Rates -- which accounts for players who transfer to other schools and receive degrees, players entering from junior colleges and those who receive degrees more than six years after enrollment -- 9 percent of Florida A&M players, 19 percent of Eastern Kentucky and 50 percent of Oregon players were graduated, according to the study, written by Lapchick and Maria Bustamante.

Lapchick said the study found that while graduation rates are improving, there remains a huge gap between the figures for black and white basketball players.

Other NCAA Tournament-bound programs with low FGRs were: Tennessee (8 percent), UNLV (10 percent), Maryland (13 percent), Texas A&M (15 percent), Virginia Tech (17 percent), Gonzaga and Louisville (22 percent), Georgia Tech, Kentucky and Oral Roberts (23 percent), Memphis and North Texas and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (25 percent).

Based on the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate scores from last year, Lapchick said Florida A&M, New Mexico State and Texas A&M could be subject to loss of basketball scholarships next year.

At the other end, the schools with the highest FGRs were Holy Cross (86 percent), Butler (82 percent), Creighton (78 percent), Davidson and Michigan State (75 percent). Penn and Air Force didn't report FGRs.

Lapchick's study said that based on the GSR formula, 68 percent of teams bound for the NCAA Tournament graduated 70 percent or more of their white players, but just 30 percent graduated 70 percent or more of black players. While 76 percent of white basketball players receive degrees, just 51 percent of black players do.

"I think that the goal had been 50 percent. That was considered a good graduation rate. But I think there are so many schools that have a 60, 70 percent rate, that I would recommend that we raise it, the 60-70 percent rate be considered the new standard of what's good."

Lapchick said 41 Division I schools, including seven headed to the tournament, didn't graduate any black players. Twenty-one schools, including tournament-bound Eastern Kentucky, didn't graduate any white players.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2006-2007, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

Here's a link to the study:

http://www.bus.ucf.edu/sport/public/downloads/2007_Men's_Basketball_Tournament.pdf

Lapchick concluded, “As always, there are schools that win big enough to be here in March and graduate their student-athletes at high rates. If we were to choose a Top Ten for Graduation Success Rates, these schools would be there: Butler, Davidson, Florida, Holy Cross, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Villanova, Virginia, Weber State and Wright State. The Final Four would include Davidson, Florida, Holy Cross and Weber State.”

[Chiefs_Mike_Topeka]

Just read that story myself.......... my response.


Who gives shit.

:shrug:

[supercoupe91]

worthless. athletics are the only thing that are important to these schools, who cares if these players graduate or not?

ku basketball: low graduation

texas football: low graduation

common link: they win games

[DaKCMan AP]

worthless. athletics are the only thing that are important to these schools, who cares if these players graduate or not?

ku basketball: low graduation

texas football: low graduation

common link: they win games

florida football: high graduation

florida basketball: high graduation

common link: they win championships

winning and academic success are not mutually exclusive

[Skip Towne]

Although KU is mentioned, I couldn't find their graduation rate in this article. I know that the rate will be zero this year though. We don't have a senior on the team. Only two juniors.

[007]

It is more than just the schools. The parents need to be accountable as well as the students.

[DaKCMan AP]

Although KU is mentioned, I couldn't find their graduation rate in this article. I know that the rate will be zero this year though. We don't have a senior on the team. Only two juniors.

Ku's FGR (Federal Graduation Rate) is 40 and their GSR (Graduation Success Rate) is 45

[DaWolf]

Ku's FGR (Federal Graduation Rate) is 40 and their GSR (Graduation Success Rate) is 45

From '96-'99 according to the article, no? There are so many qualifiers and caveats that come with this that I don't know if one should be worried or if one should shrug. A few years before that I thought KU was listed right up there. It's probably a cyclical thing...

[T-post Tom]

this is no longer a story. When it comes to the big-time programs, the "student-athlete" is a myth. They're there to sell tickets and t.v. contracts. Let's stop pretending.

[DaKCMan AP]

From '96-'99 according to the article, no? There are so many qualifiers and caveats that come with this that I don't know if one should be worried or if one should shrug. A few years before that I thought KU was listed right up there. It's probably a cyclical thing...

The numbers are from this year's study. The GSR wasn't created until 2005.

Here's the actual report:

http://www.bus.ucf.edu/sport/public/downloads/2007_Men's_Basketball_Tournament.pdf

[DaKCMan AP]

this is no longer a story. When it comes to the big-time programs, the "student-athlete" is a myth. They're there to sell tickets and t.v. contracts. Let's stop pretending.

There are big-time programs that have success both on the court/field and in the classroom.

[Extra Point]

this is no longer a story. When it comes to the big-time programs, the "student-athlete" is a myth. They're there to sell tickets and t.v. contracts. Let's stop pretending.

T-post Tom hit the nail on the head!

The NCAA is lagging the IOOC by at least twenty years. I'm not saying that Magic Johnson ought to go back for a masters and get back into the college basketball to be on the MIST dream team and have a rematch with the Sycamores, but there are way too many restrictions on college players.

The NFL has more integrity than the NBA, in that the graduation rate amongst NFL players far exceeds that of the NBA, IMO.

Let 'em play, but let open the pocketbook on the letting the universities (through the NCAA) pay, so that those who help sell tickets by playing get an education through the U.

[T-post Tom]

There are big-time programs that have success both on the court/field and in the classroom.

Yeah, I've witnessed it first hand. The schools are very adept at providing a cushy berth for the "student-athlete." Let's just say that the "student-athlete" at a big-time program doesn't have to overcome the same academic hurdles as his non-athlete campus brethren.

[DaWolf]

The numbers are from this year's study. The GSR wasn't created until 2005.

Here's the actual report:

http://www.bus.ucf.edu/sport/public/downloads/2007_Men's_Basketball_Tournament.pdf

Thanks. But still, it's saying the numbers are based on 7 years ago and beyond, unless I'm reading it wrong:

NCAA statistics were used in the study. The Institute reviewed 1999 – 00 graduation (six-year) rates, with a four class average (freshman classes of 1996 – 97, 1997 – 98, 1998 – 99, and 1999 – 00).

All that said, let's examine a certain situation in terms of KU: Let's say Julian Wright puts himself in a position to be a top 10 pick in the NBA draft, in essence putting himself in a position to be handed a job which pays millions of dollars. In that sense, then hasn't KU done it's job in terms of preparing a player for their next career? Does Bill Self do a player justice if he tries to convince him to come back and graduate, even if he is already in position to be a top pick? Is graduating and risking serious injury before getting to the NBA really the wise thing to have a player do if they are already ready for their "career"?

To make the point in a less long winded manner, my question is do the KU's, Ohio States, etc, actually do their jobs if they are putting players in a position to be successful in their careers? Or should graduation really be the focus? And if graduation should be the focus, then why make guys only go to college for 1 year? Why not let them bypass or set up a farm league for them instead?

[007]

T-post Tom hit the nail on the head!

The NCAA is lagging the IOOC by at least twenty years. I'm not saying that Magic Johnson ought to go back for a masters and get back into the college basketball to be on the MIST dream team and have a rematch with the Sycamores, but there are way too many restrictions on college players.

The NFL has more integrity than the NBA, in that the graduation rate amongst NFL players far exceeds that of the NBA, IMO.

Let 'em play, but let open the pocketbook on the letting the universities (through the NCAA) pay, so that those who help sell tickets by playing get an education through the U.
They ARE getting paid. It is called a scholarship. NOw if they leave early to go to the pros, do I think they should pay the university back? a resounding YES

[DaKCMan AP]

Thanks. But still, it's saying the numbers are based on 7 years ago and beyond, unless I'm reading it wrong:



All that said, let's examine a certain situation in terms of KU: Let's say Julian Wright puts himself in a position to be a top 10 pick in the NBA draft, in essence putting himself in a position to be handed a job which pays millions of dollars. In that sense, then hasn't KU done it's job in terms of preparing a player for their next career? Does Bill Self do a player justice if he tries to convince him to come back and graduate, even if he is already in position to be a top pick? Is graduating and risking serious injury before getting to the NBA really the wise thing to have a player do if they are already ready for their "career"?

To make the point in a less long winded manner, my question is do the KU's, Ohio States, etc, actually do their jobs if they are putting players in a position to be successful in their careers? Or should graduation really be the focus? And if graduation should be the focus, then why make guys only go to college for 1 year? Why not let them bypass or set up a farm league for them instead?

You are correct about the dates of the data. As far as a player leaving early for the NFL/NBA, the GSR takes this into account if the player leaves the institution in good academic standing. The FGR does not, which is why the GSR was created.

For instance, Florida's FGR for bball is 67. Their GSR is 100.

[Extra Point]

They ARE getting paid. It is called a scholarship. NOw if they leave early to go to the pros, do I think they should pay the university back? a resounding YES

Yeah, a scholarship to a kid from the projects is really payment. What about his/her expenses?

Why should they pay the U back? The U used that player as part of their marketing department, to sell enrollments.

[007]

Yeah, a scholarship to a kid from the projects is really payment. What about his/her expenses?

Why should they pay the U back? The U used that player as part of their marketing department, to sell enrollments.
I don't believe for a second that they really have any expenses they have to deal with that are not "taken care of".

As far as payback, yeah I am over the top on that one but that is how I feel about it.

[Eleazar]

It's pretty sad if you have a lower graduation rate than the group of people I knew in college. :BLVD:

[Extra Point]

[QUOTE=Guru]I don't believe for a second that they really have any expenses they have to deal with that are not "taken care of".QUOTE]

Like UMKC, just rollin' with all that alum dough.

Meh!!!

[BWillie]

This poll is BS. Lets look at this logically. Giddens, Giles, Galindo, Downs all transfer...lowering our graduation rates. I'm sure there are more, and I can't even think of them. We send people to the NBA too, can't really fault them for that.

[Mecca]

They ARE getting paid. It is called a scholarship. NOw if they leave early to go to the pros, do I think they should pay the university back? a resounding YES

They get thier payback by selling out games with those players.

[007]

[QUOTE=Guru]I don't believe for a second that they really have any expenses they have to deal with that are not "taken care of".QUOTE]

Like UMKC, just rollin' with all that alum dough.

Meh!!!
Yeah, I can't have an opinion because it does not agree with yours.

Double Meh to you!!!! :shake:

[supercoupe91]

Florida: 2 national championships, ever.

Oklahoma: 7
Nebraska: 5

Go back under your rock now, Gator bitch.

[007]

Florida: 2 national championships, ever.

Oklahoma: 7
Nebraska: 5

Go back under your rock now, Gator bitch.

I thought Florida only had one national championship under their belt.

EDIT never mind.

You are including football.

[DaKCMan AP]

Florida: 2 national championships, ever.

Oklahoma: 7
Nebraska: 5

Go back under your rock now, Gator bitch.

This has to do with graduation rates, how?

[DaKCMan AP]

I thought Florida only had one national championship under their belt.

EDIT never mind.

You are including football.

He's only counting football.

[DaKCMan AP]

This poll is BS. Lets look at this logically. Giddens, Giles, Galindo, Downs all transfer...lowering our graduation rates. I'm sure there are more, and I can't even think of them. We send people to the NBA too, can't really fault them for that.


The GSR takes into account transfers and players who leave early for the pros.

[BWillie]

Florida: 2 national championships, ever.

Oklahoma: 7
Nebraska: 5

Go back under your rock now, Gator bitch.

Tommy Frazier, couldn't throw. Ahmad Green, fumbles. Lawrence Phillips..beats women.

Nebraska always sucks in pros, just like Eric Warfield.

[schneider221]

this story always pops up every year around march. a few years ago ku had the best grad rate of all the sweet 16 teams.... also the person who wrote this article just happens to reside and teach at a florida university.

[Extra Point]

Nice touch, but when does the redheaded #54 kid get to play on KU's team? When they have 10 seconds left in the game, and they're up by 50? Though, I'm sure he'll graduate, but not to the NBA.

[Fishpicker]

Nice touch, but when does the redheaded #54 kid get to play on KU's team? When they have 10 seconds left in the game, and they're up by 50? Though, I'm sure he'll graduate, but not to the NBA.
The human victory cigar?

[Extra Point]

The human victory cigar?

Yup.

[Braincase]

Maybe it's just easier to graduate from Florida? How many of those guys are majoring in Recreation Science?

[Saulbadguy]

I thought Huggins was the only coach that didn't graduate players.

[Mr. Kotter]

I thought Huggins was the only coach that didn't graduate players.

No, there are others. But Huggins is no Bill Self. ;)

[CupidStunt]

This has to do with graduation rates, how?

Because you keep pretending that the schools which win a ton have great success with graduation rates.

They don't.

As pointed out, Florida is not in the elite tier when it comes to football or basketball.

[alanm]

this is no longer a story. When it comes to the big-time programs, the "student-athlete" is a myth. They're there to sell tickets and t.v. contracts. Let's stop pretending.
When programs start losing scholarships in the next couple of years it will become a big story.

[Chief Nute]

Good lord.........I am sickened by Florida fans that stick their nose out and say "LOOK AT US!"

They win both the football and basketball championships and yet they still have an inferiority complex.

Doesn't the saying go......"if you have to tell someone how great you are, you may not be as great as you think"....or something like that.

The fact of the matter is......is that while the student athletes of the University of Florida may be highly talented and graduate at a "so-called" high rate, their fans have a high tendency of being white trash trailer dwellers. And that is a fact that cant be disputed.

[alanm]

Good lord.........I am sickened by Florida fans that stick their nose out and say "LOOK AT US!"

They win both the football and basketball championships and yet they still have an inferiority complex.

Doesn't the saying go......"if you have to tell someone how great you are, you may not be as great as you think"....or something like that.

The fact of the matter is......is that while the student athletes of the University of Florida may be highly talented and graduate at a "so-called" high rate, their fans have a high tendency of being white trash trailer dwellers. And that is a fact that cant be disputed.
I think it's "It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am"
But I get the point.
Yes, the Gator fans love to thump their chests. But all glory is fleeting. :)

[Mr. Kotter]

.... their fans have a high tendency of being white trash trailer dwellers. And that is a fact that cant be disputed.
Link? :spock:

Or can you cite statistics from peer reviewed, double-blind research that has been replicated in numerous settings....to validate your stated "statistics?" Hmmmmm? :hmmm:





Well? Do you? :p

[alanm]

Link? :spock:

Or can you cite statistics from peer reviewed, double-blind research that has been replicated in numerous settings....to validate your stated "statistics?" Hmmmmm? :hmmm:



Well? Do you? :p
It became a fact when Ohio St. lost to Florida back in January. Didn't you see the story? :p

[stevieray]

And people will wonder why India is kicking our ass.

[Skip Towne]

I wonder how these numbers compare to the general population at these schools. I'm sure that nowhere near 50% of my freshman class graduated.

[Lzen]

Link? :spock:

Or can you cite statistics from peer reviewed, double-blind research that has been replicated in numerous settings....to validate your stated "statistics?" Hmmmmm? :hmmm:





Well? Do you? :p

Heh, I take it you've never been to Florida. I have a good friend who has lived down there for about 8 years. He would say the same thing.