Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Is Repeat Recipient of AFCA Academic Achievement Award
6/9/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
June 9, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. -- For the third time in the last four years, Northwestern University will receive the American Football Coaches Association's 2005 Academic Achievement Award, which is presented annually by the Touchdown Club of Memphis.
Northwestern is sharing the honor this year with Duke University. Both schools recorded a 100 percent graduation rate when all members of their freshman classes of 1999-2000 earned a degree.
Northwestern's win is the fourth for the school. Northwestern was also honored in 1998, 2002 and 2004. The school also has earned honorable mention honors four times since Big Ten schools became eligible for the award for the first time in 1998.
"Northwestern makes a tremendous commitment to its student-athletes, both athletically and academically," Head Coach Randy Walker said. "Our institution does a quality job of helping its student-athletes excel in both arenas. More importantly, we have outstanding student-athletes who value their education and degree. This is a prestigious honor for Northwestern's football program, and one we covet greatly."
Twenty-three other institutions will be recognized for graduating 70 percent or more of their football student-athletes. Four of those institutions achieved a rate of 90 percent or better: Boston College, Miami (Ohio), Notre Dame and Vanderbilt. The others receiving honorable mention are: Ball State, Colorado, Connecticut, East Carolina, Hawaii, Iowa, Kent State, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, Northern Illinois, Ohio, Penn State, SMU, Southern Mississippi, Texas Tech, Tulane, Wake Forest and Western Michigan.
The overall graduation rate of the 103 schools that responded to the survey was 58 percent, one percent less than the previous year. Fifty of the members responding were above the average and 53 were below the average. The median graduation rate was 57 percent, compared to 60 percent last year and 59 percent two years ago. The 103 respondents to this year's survey is a record high. One hundred and two schools replied in 2002.
The study involves the freshman class from the academic year of 1999-2000, including those who entered at that time but who did not receive financial aid until after their initial year, or who transferred from another institution and subsequently received a grant-in-aid.
Most Awards: Duke has won or shared the Academic Achievement Award 12 times. Notre Dame is second with six awards. Boston College and Northwestern have been honored four times. NOTE: NU has only been eligible for the award since 1998.
For more information on the AFCA, log on to the AFCA's web site at American Football Coaches Association.
