The Sacred Heart University men's basketball program ranks first among Connecticut Division I schools, second in New England and second in the Northeast Conference in Graduation Success Rate (GSR), according to data released by the NCAA this week. In addition, 16 SHU sports teams recorded a 100% GSR score. The men's basketball program, led by head coach Dave Bike, acheived a GSR of 91 percent.

Sixteen Sacred Heart teams recorded a 100% GSR score, including men's fencing, men's golf, men's ice hockey, men's lacrosse, men's volleyball, wrestling, women's basketball, women's crew/rowing, women's fencing, field hockey, women's golf, women's soccer, women's swimming, women's tennis and women's volleyball. Three other programs, baseball, men's basketball, women's cross country and women's track achieved GSRs of over 90%.

"The focused effort of our student-athletes, combined with the dedicated support and encouragement of our coaches and academic support staff is the reason why the GSR results are what they are" says Don Cook, Director of Athletics.

All but three of the 32 Sacred Heart varsity teams exceeded the national average in each respective sport. The men's basketball average far exceeds the national average of 61%, while the 91% for the baseball program eclipses the national average of 66%.

The Sacred Heart athletic program is by far the largest in the State of Connecticut and in the 11-team Northeast Conference, with nearly 800 student-athletes. Only Robert Morris outpaced the Pioneer GSR score in men's basketball in the Northeast Conference.

"There is no secret to academic success," Cook continued. "It's called hard work, and attention to priorities. It's the overarching goal of the intercollegiate athletics program. Without academic success, athletics is a meaningless, empty entity in the life of the University. Thank you coaches and student-athletes for validated through your efforts the real meaning of the intercollegiate experience."

The NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) was developed in response to college and university presidents who wanted graduation data that more accurately reflect the mobility among college students today. The GSR measures graduation rates at Division I institutions and includes students transferring into the institutions. The GSR also allows institutions to subtract student-athletes who leave their institutions prior to graduation as long as they would have been academically eligible to compete had they remained.

More information about the GSR report may be found at the NCAA's website, www.ncaa.org.