Drury University ranks first among Great Lakes Valley Conference members in its percentage of athletes who graduate over a four-year period for incoming scholarshiped athletes from 1999-2000 to 2002-03, according to NCAA figures released this week.
Drury graduated an average of 76 percent of its scholarshiped incoming freshman athletes in that four-year period, ranking just ahead of Lewis and Bellarmine (69 percent each) in that stretch.
"We're really proud to continue the long-standing, fine tradition of academics and excellence that we strive for here at Drury," Director of Athletics Pat Atwell said. "It's a tribute to our student-athletes who come here with a purpose both on and off the field of play."
Other GLVC members and their percentages - Rockhurst (65 percent), Missouri S & T (62 percent), Indianapolis (62 percent), Southern Indiana (60 percent), Quincy (59 percent), Missouri-St. Louis (56 percent), Wisconsin-Parkside (56 percent), Northern Kentucky (51 percent), Saint Joseph's (50 percent) and Kentucky Wesleyan (49 percent).
In the incoming 2002-03 freshman scholarship athletes class, Drury ranked second among GLVC members at 80 percent, trailing only Lewis (86 percent). The 2002-03 incoming class is the latest available because the NCAA allows its student-athletes six years to complete their degrees for the study.
Other GLVC schools and their percentages for that 2002-03 incoming freshman group include Southern Indiana (68 pecent), Indianapolis (67 percent), Missouri S & T (67 percent), Quincy (66 percent), Bellarmine (63 percent), Wisconsin-Parkside (59 percent), Rockhurst (53 percent), Saint Joseph's (49 percent), Northern Kentucky (44 percent), Missouri-St. Louis (37 percent) and Kentucky Wesleyan (34 percent).
In the four-year average category, Drury's 76-percent figure was tops among NCAA-II schools in the state of Missouri, sharing the distinction with Truman State. Other D-IIs in Missouri and their four-year averages included Northwest Missouri State at 66 percent, followed by Central Missouri (56 percent), Southwest Baptist (50 percent), Missouri Southern (46 percent), Missouri Western (43 percent) and Lincoln (34 percent).
In the 2002-03 group study, where Drury posted the 80-percent graduation rate, other Missouri D-II school figures included Truman State (87 percent), Northwest Missouri State (64 percent), Missouri Southern (50 percent), Central Missouri (49 percent), Southwest Baptist (48 percent), Missouri Western (46 percent) and Lincoln (33 percent).