George Washington University Athletics
Athletics Department Notches Program Record 97 Percent Graduation Success Rate
11/19/2025 1:01:00 PM | Baseball, Men's Basketball, Men's Track/Cross Country, Men's Golf, Men's Swimming and Diving, Softball, Women's Basketball, Women's Track/Cross Country, Gymnastics, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Rowing, Women's Soccer, Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Tennis, Women's Volleyball, Cross Country, Academic Services
The George Washington University Department of Athletics registered an overall NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 97 percent in the latest report, marking the ninth-straight year that GW has achieved at least a 94 percent, with 13 of the Revolutionaries' 20 programs earning a perfect 100 percent score.
"We are incredibly proud of our recent student-athlete graduates who achieved this remarkable school record," said GW Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Lipitz. "They are a true testament to how GW affords its students the opportunity to be elite in the classroom and in competition. We offer our special thanks to the faculty, coaches, academic advisors and all staff who support our Revolutionary student-athletes year-round in their academic pursuits."
The 13 GW Athletics programs that recorded 100 percent graduation rates last year were men's basketball, men's and women's cross country, golf, gymnastics, women's indoor track & field, rowing, women's soccer, softball, men's swimming & diving, men's and women's outdoor track & field and tennis.
Five other GW programs — baseball, women's basketball, lacrosse, women's swimming & diving, volleyball — checked in with graduation rates of 90 percent or better.
"The academic success of GW Athletics is the number one priority in all that we do," said James Hellekjaer, assistant athletics director for educational support services. "The George Washington student-athlete relishes in the knowledge that they are a source of tremendous pride for the university, so their commitment to excellence and degree achievement matches the support they receive from our outstanding team behind them."
The latest NCAA GSR announcement comes on the heels of another impressive academic year for GW Athletics in 2024-25. Paced by tennis' 3.77 cume GPA in the spring semester, GW Athletics enjoyed another stellar year in the classroom, punctuated with the announcement that a record 290 student-athletes were named to the A-10 Commissioner's Honor Roll. In the spring, 41 student-athletes earned a 4.0 GPA, while just under 55% notched a GPA above a 3.5 to bring the department's GPA to 3.43 in the spring semester, and above a 3.4 for the year, after a 3.39 cume mark in the fall.
What is the Graduation Success Rate (GSR)?
The NCAA developed the Graduation Success Rate (GSR) in 2002 to more fully reflect the academic achievement of student-athletes.
The traditional Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) compiled by the U.S. Department of Education is used as an indicator of academic success for all college students. For student-athletes, it measures the cohort of first-time, full-time freshman on athletics aid who enter in the fall semester and graduate within six years of entering their original four-year institution.
Calculation of the GSR begins with the cohort the federal methodology identifies, but additionally includes student-athletes the federal rate omits — (1) incoming transfer student-athletes who receive athletics aid, and (2) freshmen on athletics aid who enroll at midyear rather than in fall. The GSR also does not penalize colleges whose student-athletes transfer in good academic standing, as those student-athletes are effectively moved into the cohort of the destination colleges.
"We are incredibly proud of our recent student-athlete graduates who achieved this remarkable school record," said GW Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Lipitz. "They are a true testament to how GW affords its students the opportunity to be elite in the classroom and in competition. We offer our special thanks to the faculty, coaches, academic advisors and all staff who support our Revolutionary student-athletes year-round in their academic pursuits."
The 13 GW Athletics programs that recorded 100 percent graduation rates last year were men's basketball, men's and women's cross country, golf, gymnastics, women's indoor track & field, rowing, women's soccer, softball, men's swimming & diving, men's and women's outdoor track & field and tennis.
Five other GW programs — baseball, women's basketball, lacrosse, women's swimming & diving, volleyball — checked in with graduation rates of 90 percent or better.
"The academic success of GW Athletics is the number one priority in all that we do," said James Hellekjaer, assistant athletics director for educational support services. "The George Washington student-athlete relishes in the knowledge that they are a source of tremendous pride for the university, so their commitment to excellence and degree achievement matches the support they receive from our outstanding team behind them."
The latest NCAA GSR announcement comes on the heels of another impressive academic year for GW Athletics in 2024-25. Paced by tennis' 3.77 cume GPA in the spring semester, GW Athletics enjoyed another stellar year in the classroom, punctuated with the announcement that a record 290 student-athletes were named to the A-10 Commissioner's Honor Roll. In the spring, 41 student-athletes earned a 4.0 GPA, while just under 55% notched a GPA above a 3.5 to bring the department's GPA to 3.43 in the spring semester, and above a 3.4 for the year, after a 3.39 cume mark in the fall.
What is the Graduation Success Rate (GSR)?
The NCAA developed the Graduation Success Rate (GSR) in 2002 to more fully reflect the academic achievement of student-athletes.
The traditional Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) compiled by the U.S. Department of Education is used as an indicator of academic success for all college students. For student-athletes, it measures the cohort of first-time, full-time freshman on athletics aid who enter in the fall semester and graduate within six years of entering their original four-year institution.
Calculation of the GSR begins with the cohort the federal methodology identifies, but additionally includes student-athletes the federal rate omits — (1) incoming transfer student-athletes who receive athletics aid, and (2) freshmen on athletics aid who enroll at midyear rather than in fall. The GSR also does not penalize colleges whose student-athletes transfer in good academic standing, as those student-athletes are effectively moved into the cohort of the destination colleges.
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