When it comes to graduation-success rates, Penn State tied for Big Ten East Division lead

MARK WOGENRICH
(Allentown) Morning Call (TNS)
  • The NCAA on Wednesday released its annual report on graduation-success rates.
  • Penn State is tied with Indiana for the top spot in the Big Ten East at 84 percent.
  • Northwestsern leads the overall GSR standings at 99 percent.

The NCAA on Wednesday released its annual report on the graduation-succes rates among college athletes, citing a record-high rate of 87 percent.

Penn State head coach James Franklin runs onto the field before an NCAA college football game against Michigan State, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017, in East Lansing, Mich. When it comes to graduation-success rates, PSU is tied for the Big Ten East lead with Indiana at 84 percent.

Football players in all divisions graduated at a rate of 75 percent, the lowest among NCAA-counted sports.

Northwestern again leads the Big Ten (and nation) in football GSR, posting a 99-percent success rate. Northwestern has ranked first or second nationally in GSR for seven consecutive years.

How would the Big Ten standings look based on GSR? Northwestern easily wins the West; Penn State and Indiana are tied in the East.

BIG TEN EAST

Penn State: 84 percent

Indiana: 84 percent

Michigan: 82 percent

Rutgers: 82 percent

Maryland: 79 percent

Michigan State: 72 percent

Ohio State: 69 percent

BIG TEN WEST

Northwestern: 99 percent

Nebraska: 85 percent

Minnesota: 83 percent

Purdue: 81 percent

Illinois: 77 percent

Iowa: 76 percent

Wisconsin: 74 percent

Penn State’s football GSR is four points higher than last year. Penn State’s overall GSR among athletes is 90 percent, with the following nine teams posting 100-percent rates: Men’s basketball, field hockey, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, men’s and women’s hockey, men’s soccer, softball and women’s tennis.