For decades, Quinnipiac University has been a firm supporter of giving its students a higher quality of education than other institutions can offer. First and for most, we as students, are expected to succeed in our chosen academic fields. For student athletes it is no different. They are expected to succeed in both the classroom and on the field.

Each year the NCAA (National Collegiant Athletic Association) ranks all the schools in Division 1 AAA on their graduation rate for their inter-collegiant athletes. The NCAA does this to see if universities are living up to their mission statements. A student’s first responsibility is to become educated, and if a university is not graduating a majority of its athletes, then it will look into the situation at that institute.

The polls are a good tool when it comes to recruiting new prospective student-athletes to a university. If the student sees that he/she will have a good chance of graduating, they will be more inclined to attend that university instead of one who ranks near the bottom of the list.

The percentages are from the incoming class of 1996, who had six years to graduate from Quinnipiac. Athletes are only eligible to play for these six years, regardless with they need more time to continue their studies or not.

The recent poll shows that Quinnipiac is eighth in the country in the graduation rate of its athletes.

The fact that Quinnipiac came in eighth in the entire country shows the dedication of the athletes, the professors, and the university as a whole to not just see these students as athletes.

At 77%, it is a point higher than both Providence College and St. Bonaventure. Bradley (93%), UNC-Wilmington (89%), Manhattan (82%), Gonzaga (81%), Birmingham-Southern (81%), Mercer (79%), and Creighton (78%) round out spots one through six in the NCAA/USA Today poll.