Iowa State University


Inside Iowa State
June 14, 1996

59 percent of ISU student-athletes graduated within six years

by Steve Jones
Fifty-nine percent of the student-athletes who entered Iowa State in the freshman class of 1989-90 graduated within six years. The figures include only student-athletes who received athletic scholarships during their freshman year. Overall, the Iowa State freshman class of 1989-90 graduated at a rate of 62 percent.

The previous year, the ISU student-athlete graduation rate was 63 percent and the overall university rate was 64 percent.

The figures are part of ISU's annual report to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Seventy-nine percent of the female student-athletes who entered Iowa State as part of the 1989-90 freshman class graduated within six years. The figure is 14 percentage points higher than the all-university women's average of 65 percent. Last year, the female student-athlete graduation rate was 75 percent.

The graduation rate of ISU's 1989-90 male freshman student- athletes was 49 percent after six years, compared to an overall male university rate of 59 percent. Last year, ISU male student-athletes graduated at a rate of 59 percent.

The graduation rate for Iowa State football players increased for the fourth straight year and was higher than the all- university men's rate. Sixty-three percent (12 of 19) of the football players who were members of the 1989-90 freshman class graduated within six years. Fifty-four percent of the previous freshman football class graduated within six years.

Both of ISU's men's basketball players who entered as freshmen for the 1989-90 season, Mike Bergman and David Washington, transferred to other schools in good academic standing and later earned bachelor's degrees. However, the NCAA does not count transfer students toward a school's graduation rate.

Five freshman members of the 1989-90 ISU men's track team received athletic aid. All-American Darwin Vande Hoef graduated and Lance Elliott still is enrolled at ISU in a combined bachelor's and master's degree program. Among the others, NCAA champion Jon Brown is running professionally and another transferred elsewhere in good academic standing.

According to the NCAA report, 91 percent (236 of 259) of freshman student-athletes who entered ISU since the 1983-84 school year and completed their competitive eligibility graduated within six years.

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