Merrimack Athletes Succeed On and Off The Field
In 2008-09, the student-athletes at Merrimack recorded the highest overall grade-point-average in school history as well as the highest number of Commissioner’s Honor Roll selections. Furthermore, for the second straight year, Merrimack ranked in the top-five in the National Collegiate Power Rankings, which combine athletic and academic performance.
In a recent report released by the NCAA, the facts are even more convincing.
The NCAA released the Academic Success Rate (ASR) as a means to measure graduation data more accurately. Virtually in all sports, Merrimack student-athletes performed well above the national average.
The average ASR at a Division II institution is 70%, but Merrimack student-athletes performed at an 83% rate.
Four programs, baseball, women’s cross country, women’s tennis, and volleyball recorded a 100% Academic Success Rate, while men’s basketball (93%) and softball (94%) also excelled. Football (75%) and men’s soccer (81%) also achieved an ASR rate significantly higher than the national average.
Both the ASR and the federal rates measure graduation rates at Division II institutions. However, the ASR includes students transferring into the institutions and allows institutions to subtract student-athletes who leave their institutions prior to graduation as long as they would have been academically eligible to compete had they remained.
Teams with Outstanding Academic Success Rates
- Baseball 100% (Div II average – 68%)
- Men’s Basketball 93% (Div II average – 58%)
- Women’s Cross Country 100% (Div II average – 81%)
- Softball 94% (Div II average – 80%)
- Women’s Tennis 100% (Div II average – 83%)
- Volleyball 100% (Div II average – 79%)
Other Teams Significantly Higher Than National Average
- Football 75% (Div II average – 53%)
- Men’s Soccer 81% (Div II average – 68%)
For more information, visit the Merrimack Athletics page.