BOSTON -- Northeastern University student-athletes continue to distinguish themselves in the classroom, graduating at rates well above their conference and national peers, according to information released Wednesday by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The annual report, issued by the NCAA, revealed a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 93 percent for all Northeastern student-athletes, compared to a national average of 86 percent for all Division I institutions. The 93-percent figure is an all-time high for the university.

Of the 13 NU teams included in the report, 10 scored at or above the national average for their respective sport. Eight teams—baseball, men's cross country/track and field, men's soccer, women's cross country/track and field, women's rowing, women's ice hockey, women's swimming and diving, volleyball—achieved a perfect GSR of 100 percent. Each of those eight teams ranked first in their conference in graduation success.

Northeastern also set the benchmark in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) with eight teams ranked among the top-three in the 11 CAA-sponsored sports in which the university competes. William & Mary was the next closest with six teams in the top three.

"It is a tremendous point of pride to see our student-athletes continually excel in the classroom and equip themselves with a degree from one of the nation's top universities," said Peter Roby, director of athletics and recreation at Northeastern. "Coming off our 15th straight semester with a cumulative student-athlete grade point average above 3.0, it is extremely gratifying to see what our student-athletes have achieved over an extended period of time. I am also thankful for the efforts of our tremendous faculty, our dedicated academic support staff, and our hard-working coaches for their commitment to the academic success of our student-athletes."

Northeastern highlights from the NCAA report:
• Northeastern achieved an overall GSR of 93 percent, 10 points above the national average of 83 percent and an all-time high for the institution.

• Eight Northeastern teams achieved a perfect GSR of 100 percent: baseball, men's cross country/track and field, men's soccer, women's cross country/track and field, women's rowing, women's ice hockey, women's swimming and diving, volleyball).

• 10 (of 13) Northeastern teams scored at or above the national average for their respective sport

• Five Northeastern teams ranked first in their conference in their respective sport: baseball, men's soccer, men's cross country/track and field, women's rowing, women's ice hockey, women's swimming and diving, women's cross country/track and field, volleyball).

• Eight Northeastern teams ranked among the top three in the CAA in the 11 CAA-sponsored sports in which the university competes (baseball, men's soccer, men's cross country, women's basketball, women's rowing, women's swimming and diving, women's cross country/track and field, volleyball). That mark is first among all conference schools

• Four Northeastern teams achieved a GSR that was at least 14 points above the national average for their sport (baseball, +23; men's basketball, +15; men's cross country track and field, +21; men's soccer, +18; women's cross country/track and field, +14).

The Division I Board of Directors created GSR in 1995 in response to Division I college and university presidents who wanted a rate that more accurately reflected the mobility of college students than the federal graduation rate.

The GSR formula, intended to be a more complete and accurate look at student-athlete success, removes from the rate student-athletes who leave school while academically eligible and includes student-athletes who transfer to a school after initially enrolling elsewhere. The GSR also allows for a deeper understanding of graduation success in individual sports than the federal metric, which has broader groupings. The federal graduation rate, however, remains the only metric that allows comparison between student-athletes and the general student body.

 When compared using the federal graduation rate, Division I student-athletes continue to outpace their peers in the student body. The federal rate for Division I student-athletes rose one point to 67 percent, the highest rate ever. The student body federal graduation rate remained flat at 65 percent.

* - Northeastern sponsors 18 varsity programs. Though separate sports, the report calculates men's indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and cross country as one program. Women's indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and cross country are also calculated as one program. The NCAA does not sponsor men's rowing so that program is not included in the report.