WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The William & Mary athletics department continued its impressive run atop the national academic rankings this week.  The NCAA released its annual graduation rate reports, and for the 16th consecutive year, the Tribe led all public schools in the Federal Graduation Rate.
 
"William & Mary student-athletes embrace that excellence in competition is predicated on success in the classroom," said Interim Director of Athletics Jeremy P. Martin Ph.D. '12, M.B.A. '17. "It's wonderful to see this core value upheld year in and year out by our incredible student-athletes, coaches and staff. Each generation rises to meet the rigor of a William & Mary education, which benefits them throughout their lives after graduation."
 
In each of the 16 years that the NCAA has been releasing graduation data, W&M has ranked first out of all public colleges and universities in the Federal Graduation Rate (FGR).  William & Mary's 86% FGR is well ahead of the national average for all student-athletes (69%), which is also the overall rate for all students nation-wide. The Tribe's 86% student-athlete FGR ranked tied for 14th overall among all schools.  Six teams at W&M earned an FGR of 100% for the second time in the last three years, including men's basketball, men's & women's gymnastics, men's & women's swimming, and men's tennis
 
In the Graduation Success Rate (GSR), W&M was also exceptional, with the second-highest mark among public universities and for tied for 43rd overall.  The Tribe had a department GSR of 95% for the second year in a row and tied for the third-highest ever, just a single percentage point off its all-time high.  Among public schools, only UNC Asheville at 96% ranked higher.  That also ranked W&M tied for first among all Virginia universities.  The GSR differs from the FGR by also including students who transfer into an institution, and by removing athletes who transfer out in good academic standing.  The national average for the four-year GSR this year was 87.92%, an increase of almost one point over last year's number.
 
W&M had 13 teams report a 100% GSR, its highest number since having 15 in 2009-10.  This is the fifth year in a row that the number of teams with a perfect graduation rate has increased.  That list includes five teams who have achieved a perfect GSR every year, including men's and women's gymnastics, men's tennis, women's golf, and volleyball.  The men's golf team had a perfect score for the fifth year in a row and the women's soccer team was honored for the fourth year in a row.  Men's basketball and women's lacrosse were both on the perfect list for the third year in a row, while women's swimming and women's tennis both were noted for the second consecutive year.  Finally, the men's cross country and track & field teams earned a perfect GSR for the first time since 2009-10.
 
The data above is covering the cohort of students who began higher education in the fall of 2013 and the four-year average of students who first enrolled between the fall of 2010 through the fall of 2013.
 Federal Graduation Rate -

Federal Graduation Rate - Overall	Federal Graduation Rate - Public Universities	Graduation Success Rate - Public Universities
T1. Yale 100 T1. Navy 100 3. Princeton 99 4. Penn 95 5. Stanford 93 T6. Notre Dame 92 T6. Northwestern 92 8. Davidson 91 9. Georgetown 90 10. Bucknell 89 T11. Holy Cross 88 T11. Colgate 88 T11. Duke 88 T14. Lafayette 86 T14. William & Mary 86	1. William & Mary 86 2. UC Davis 84 3. Minnesota 82 4. Michigan 81 5. Miami (Ohio) 80 T6. New Hampshire 79 T6. Michigan State 79 T8. Virginia 78 T8. Penn State 78 T8. Ohio University 78 T8. California Berkeley 78	1. UNC Asheville 96 T2. William & Mary 95 T2. Miami (Ohio) 95 T2. Virginia 95 T2. South Carolina 95 T2. UMKC 95 T7. Minnesota 94 T7. Michigan 94 T7. Illinois 94 T7. Vermont 94 T7. Utah 94 T7. Nebraska 94 T7. Cincinnati 94