Skyhawks maintain high rank as NCAA Division II
announces Academic Success Ratings
EASTON, Mass. (October 25, 2012) – Stonehill College, winner of the last three Northeast-10 Conference Presidents’ Cups for overall athletic achievement in Conference sports, has been recognized once again for its academic performance with regard to graduation rate by earning a 97-percent Academic Success Rating (ASR) as released by the NCAA today. The ASR considers the academic success rate of the institution based on the graduation rate of student-athletes while also giving credit for any student-athletes that transferred from the institution while in good academic standing.
“Stonehill student-athletes continue to expand upon their successes with the accomplishments they achieve each year,” said Brendan Sullivan, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at the College. “Their academic successes, as noted by our recent ASR ranking, are matched only by their athletic achievements, which can be measured by our three consecutive Northeast-10 Presidents’ Cups.”
Stonehill, which received one of the inaugural Division II Presidents’ Awards for Academic Excellence last spring, has boasted an ASR over 97% each of the last three years. In addition to Stonehill’s overall ASR of 97%, nine of Stonehill’s 16 athletic programs (cross country and indoor and outdoor track & field are combined by the NCAA) received perfect scores of 100%. Those programs include men’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, women’s cross country/track & field, field hockey, women’s lacrosse, softball, volleyball and equestrian. Of those programs, four reached their National Tournaments and nine participated in postseason play. 12 of Stonehill’s programs had ASR’s well above the national average, with none below 93%.
Stonehill’s 97% ASR ranks second among NE-10 institutions behind just Saint Michael’s College (98%) for the third-straight year. They are among three NE-10 institutions ranking in the top ten and among seven with an ASR of 90% or better. While Stonehill dipped two spots from a No. 3 ranking a year ago, ranking 4th in 2010, the College’s ASR is 25 points higher than the national average of 72% and 42% better than the federal graduation rate.
“With their equally impressive academic and athletic achievements, Stonehill student-athletes continue to embody the term student-athletes,” said Sullivan. “I am very proud of our student-athletes and coaches for this achievement, and on behalf of the College I extend my congratulations and thanks for representing the Skyhawks so well.”
This is the seventh year the NCAA has released the Division II ASR. The NCAA developed the Division II ASR 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 into account. However, given the partial-scholarship financial aid model of Division II, ASR goes one step further and includes student-athletes not receiving athletic scholarships.
In addition to capturing the NE-10 Presidents’ Cup for the third-straight year and fourth time overall at the conclusion of the 2011-12 academic year, Stonehill finished ranked 68th in the final Learfield Sports Directors Cup standings which recognizes overall athletic achievement in NCAA championships. Stonehill was also recently ranked sixth in the National Collegiate Scouting Association (NCSA) Power Rankings used to assess the academic and athletic standards of all NCAA and NAIA athletic programs, marking a fourth straight top ten placement.
NCAA Division II ASR Rankings
Top 10
Rk
ASR Institution
1.
100 Maryville University of
Saint Louis
Simon Fraser University
3.
99 William Jewell
College
4.
98 Saint
Michael’s College
5.
97 Stonehill
College
University of the Sciences
in Philadelphia
7.
95 Assumption
College
St. Andrews Presbyterian
College
University of Puerto Rico, Bayamon
10.
94 Christian
Brothers University
Rollins College
Seattle University
University of California, San Diego