FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MANSFIELD, Mass. – The NCAA announced on Wednesday that four members of the Northeast 10 Conference have earned the Presidents’ Award for Academic Excellence – an honor bestowed upon Division II institutions that earn an Academic Success Rate of 90 percent or higher.
In the eighth year of the program, 27 schools will receive the recognition, with the NE10 and Great Lakes Valley Conference each boasting a nation-best four schools to the list.
Of six schools that posted an ASR of 97 percent or better, the NE10 had two schools included – as well as holding the top spot, with Bentley recording a stellar 99 percent to lead the country. Saint Michael’s was close behind with 97 percent.
Stonehill (96 percent) and Assumption (91 percent) will also be honored, as all four institutions greatly contributed to the league’s overall ASR of 86 percent – tied for the top mark among the 24 conferences that make up Division II athletics.
“The schools we recognize with the Presidents’ Award for Academic Excellence demonstrate a firm commitment to support the academic success of student-athletes,” said Glen Jones, president of Henderson State and chair of the Division II Presidents Council. “We commend them for their ongoing efforts to provide student-athletes with the opportunity to excel in the classroom, on the field and for life.”
The Academic Success Rate is the percentage of student-athletes who graduate within six years of initial college enrollment and includes virtually all Division II student-athletes, including transfers and those not receiving athletic scholarships. The most recent ASR consists of data from student-athletes who enrolled in school from 2008-11.
Division II student-athletes continue to graduate at a higher rate than the general student body. The federal rate for the 2011 entering class of student-athletes increased one point to 57 percent, compared to 50 percent for the general student body.
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 15 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.