Ninety-five percent of student-athletes at the University of Utah graduate within six years of enrolling according to the latest NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) released last week. This mark sets a new standard of success for Utah Athletics, an increase of five percent from last year. Utah’s score also ranks second among Pac-12 schools.

“We are delighted at the results of the latest GSR report,” said Utah Athletics Director Mark Harlan. “Our number one priority is to graduate our student-athletes and they are doing that in record numbers while also succeeding athletically, a testament to their commitment and dedication to both. I also want to thank our coaches and academic staff for caring so profoundly about our student-athletes.”

The FGR also revealed that Utah’s student-athletes are graduating at a higher rate than the U’s general student population by seven percentage points (68 percent to 61 percent) over a four-year period. The reason for the difference between the NCAA GSR and federal graduation rate is the former makes adjustments for circumstances such as church missions and transfers.

Utah also had the best (or tied for the best) GSR in the Pac-12 in 10 sports (baseball, football, men’s basketball, golf, gymnastics, men’s and women’s skiing, men’s and women’s tennis and volleyball). Of these, eight Utah sports achieved a perfect (100 percent) GSR score: men’s basketball, golf, gymnastics, volleyball, men’s and women’s skiing, and men’s and women’s tennis. It marks the eighth-straight year that gymnastics and both tennis teams received perfect scores, while golf and volleyball have achieved four-straight years of perfect graduation success rates.

Twelve Utah teams: baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, cross country/track, football, golf, gymnastics, men’s and women’s skiing, men’s and women’s tennis and volleyball either met or exceeded the overall Division I GSR for their sport.