Iowa State University
5-30-96

Contacts:
Steve McDonnell, Student Athlete Services, (515) 294-9324
Tom Kroeschell, Athletic Media Relations, (515) 294-3372
Steve Jones, News Service, (515) 294-4778

59 PERCENT OF ISU STUDENT-ATHLETES GRADUATED WITHIN 6 YEARS

AMES, Iowa -- Fifty-nine percent of the student-athletes who entered Iowa State University 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 (13 of 24) of the previous (1988-89) 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, even if they earn a degree at the institution to which they transferred.

Five freshman members of the 1989-90 ISU men's track team received athletic aid. All-American Darwin Vande Hoef graduated and Lance Elliott is still 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 went on to complete their competitive eligibility, graduated within six years.

Iowa State athletic graduation rates

Men's     Entered  Graduated     Entered Graduated
sports    fall 89                fall 88

Football    19     12     63%     24     13     54%
Basketball   2      0     00%      2      1     50%
Baseball     8      3     38%      8      6     75%
CC/Track     5      1     20%      5      3     60%
Other       11      6     55%     24     14     58%
Totals      45     22     49%     63     37     59%


Women's   Entered  Graduated     Entered Graduated
sports    fall 89                fall 88

Basketball   3      3     100%     2      2     100%
CC/Track     4      2      50%     6      6     100%
Other       17     14      82 %   12      7     58%
Totals      24     19      79%    20     15      75%


All Sports  69     41      59%    83     52      63%





All-University Graduation Rates

        Entered  Graduated       Entered   Graduated
        fall 89                  fall 88

Men     2160     1285     59%    2134       1298     61%
Women   1591     1027     65%    1610       1083     67%
Total   3751     2312     62%    3744       2381     64%