University of Maryland-Eastern Shore leads the MEAC once again in graduation success rate

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — Director of Athletics Keith Davidson is already looking forward to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) summer meetings. That is because in June, Davidson will collect Maryland Eastern Shore’s eighth straight award for producing the highest Graduation Success Rate (GSR) in the league.

Previous years have seen Davidson bring home a $25,000.00 check from the conference for his department for the accolade.

Last week the NCAA released its latest graduation success rate figures and while the Hawks rate was lower than the previous year, it still ranks first among all 13 conference schools, and is the only one at 80 percent or above.

The Hawks posted an 81 percent for the 15-16 year, a collection of the 2006-2009 cohort. Rival Delaware State posted a 77 percent rate, the second highest in the league while Howard and North Carolina Central both had a 75 percent GSR.

Among Maryland state schools, Eastern Shore was third, falling just behind Maryland and Towson who posted 85 and 84 percent respectively. The Hawks bettered UMBC, Coppin State and Morgan State.

The GSR measures graduation rates at Division I institutions as well as those transferring into those schools, according to the NCAA. The rate was created to reflect mobility of college students in graduation data.

“I am so very proud of this accomplishment,” said Davidson. “After all, this exemplifies what we do in athletics. We prepare student-athletes for life after their collegiate competition days are over. We help give them the values they need to be successful in multiple facets of life.”

In the most recent data, seven of the Hawks’ 14 teams earned a perfect score of 100 in the GSR, with men’s basketball, women’s bowling, women’s tennis, women’s volleyball and women’s cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field. Softball posted an 88 percent rate in that period.

Below are Eastern Shore’s results from the previous twelve years in descending order:

2006-09, 81-percent; 2005-08, 88-percent; 2004-07, 88-percent; 2003-06, 89-percent; 2002-05, 89-percent; 2001-04, 90-percent; 2000-03, 84-percent; 1999-02, 77-percent; 1998-01, 78-percent; 1997-00, 79-percent; 1996-99, 84-percnet; 1995-98, 92-percent

Maryland Eastern Shore has averaged an overall GSR of 85 percent in that 12-year period.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE SPORTS INFORMATION