For the second consecutive year, UNC Pembroke’s student-athletes posted record high marks for graduation rates. 

That number – 61 percent – placed UNCP student-athletes third among Peach Belt Conference institutions and first among NCAA Division II schools in the University of North Carolina System. UNCP’s graduation rate also exceeded the national average for Division II athletes by more than 10 percent. 

The NCAA has released the latest Division II graduation rate data in late October, including the division’s Academic Success Rate (ASR), which held good news for the UNC Pembroke athletic department. 

The success of UNCP student-athletes on and off the field is a point of pride at a university that places high value on student success, said Athletic Director Dick Christy. 

“The academic success of our student-athletes is something we are very proud of at UNC Pembroke and has been a great selling point to parents of prospective students,” Christy said. “The support resources here at UNCP – faculty associate advisors, supplemental instruction, tutoring, and team study halls – truly help our students reach their potential.” 

Nationally and at UNCP, Division II student-athletes perform significantly better than the general student body in terms of graduation rates. The national average for Division II student-athletes in the 2007 entering class increased by one point to 55 percent, while the general student body held steady at 48 percent. 

At the NCAA’s annual convention in January, the Division II membership approved a legislative package intended to increase student-athlete success and graduation rates. The package addresses a variety of academic standards and includes adjustments to eligibility standards, progress-toward-degree requirements and standards for transfers from two-year colleges. 

For more information about UNCP athletics, please contact the Athletic Department at (910) 521-6227 or visit their website at www.uncpbraves.com/.