Bentley is Top Performer for Fourth-Straight Year.
MANSFIELD, Mass. – Seven institutions in the Northeast-10 Conference, the highest total among all Division II leagues, earned the NCAA Presidents' Award for Academic Excellence on Thursday. The honor recognizes member schools that achieved an academic success rate (ASR) of 90% or higher in the most recent four-year compilation of graduation rates.
Bentley (99%) led all Division II institutions in ASR for the fourth-consecutive year and earn their 10th-straight Presidents' Award for Academic Excellence. Saint Michael's (98%) tied for second among more than 300 DII schools in ASR, has also earned the accolade each year over the past decade.
Division II recognized a record 42 institutions with the Presidents' Award for Academic Excellence. The NE10 achieved a Division II record this year with an overall ASR of 89% - far exceeding the national average of 74% - and continues to be the leader in that category among its peers.
Stonehill (92%), Le Moyne (91%), Assumption (91%), Adelphi (91%) and Saint Anselm (90%) received the honor, along with Bentley and Saint Michael's. Seven institutions with an ASR of 90% or better is the most for the NE10 since 2013.
"The Presidents' Award for Academic Excellence recognizes Division II member schools for their commitment to a balanced college experience that supports the academic success of college athletes," said Sandra Jordan, chancellor of the University of South Carolina Aiken and chair of the Division II Presidents Council.
The academic success rate is the percentage of student-athletes who graduate within six years of initial collegiate enrollment and includes virtually all Division II student-athletes. This year's ASR considered the four cohorts of student-athletes who entered college from 2010-13. In 2020, the NE10 led all of Division II in ASR for the seventh time over the previous eight years.
ABOUT THE NE10
Beginning its 40th anniversary season, the NE10 is an association of 14 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.
