New Haven, Conn. (10/17/19) The NCAA announced this week the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) is tied for fourth out of the 23 Division II conferences for the highest Academic Success Rate (ASR) score with a mark of 81 percent. The CACC's average was eight points higher than the Division II-wide ASR mark of 73 percent.

The announcement illustrates the CACC and its member institutions' amazing efforts to make sure student-athletes not just receive a college education, but also help to set a standard for academic excellence at their respective institutions.

The CACC's mark of 81 percent was a full point higher than the previous year's reported mark of 80 percent, which was tied for fifth place at that time. This year, the CACC only trailed the Northeast-10 Conference (88%), Sunshine State Conference (86%) and Great Lakes Valley Conference (82%). The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference was tied with the CACC at 81 percent.

The ASR is the percentage of student-athletes who graduate within six years of initial enrollment in college and includes virtually all Division II student-athletes, including transfers and those not receiving athletics scholarships.
 
The Division II ASR also captures about 50 percent more college athletes than the federal graduation rate. Unlike the federal graduation rate, the ASR also counts student-athletes who transfer to a school after initial enrollment elsewhere and removes from the rate student-athletes who leave school while academically eligible. The national ASR is 73 percent for student-athletes who entered college from 2009 through 2012.

"The CACC and its member schools work extremely hard in making sure that student-athletes don't just excel in their chosen sport, but also in the classroom," CACC Commissioner Dan Mara said. "Administrators throughout our conference do a great job of mentoring our student-athletes and teaching them that a college education will take them even further then they thought possible. Our student-athletes are learning valuable life lessons by achieving tremendous success in the classroom."

5 CACC SCHOOLS AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS
Five CACC member institutions rank among the top 45 nationally in highest ASR score, including Jefferson, which is second with a mark of 98. It's the second-consecutive year Jefferson is ranked second nationally. University of the Sciences is tied for 10th with a score of 95, while both Caldwell University and Holy Family University are tied for 33rd at 89 percent. Goldey-Beacom College is tied for 45th with a tally of 88 percent.

8 SCHOOLS AT 80% OR BETTER
In addition to the five schools mentioned above, three other CACC institutions posted ASR scores of 80 percent or higher, including Chestnut Hill College (86%), Georgian Court University (82%) and Dominican College (81%).

75% OF CACC CHAMPIONSHIP SPORTS MEET OR EXCEED NATIONAL AVERAGES
Twelve (12) of the CACC's 16 championship sports met or exceeded the national ASR score in their respective sport. It marks the second-straight year 75 percent of CACC sports achieved that accolade.

41 CACC TEAMS WITH PERFECT ASR SCORES
Forty-one (41) CACC programs earned perfect ASR scores of 100 percent. It's an increase of five teams from last year's report. The conference is tied for fourth nationally with the most teams with perfect marks.

CALDWELL UNIVERSITY (3)
Men's Track & Field/Cross Country
Women's Volleyball
Women's Tennis

CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE (5)
Men's Golf
Men's Track & Field/Cross Country
Softball
Women's Volleyball
Women's Lacrosse

CONCORDIA COLLEGE (2)
Men's Golf
Women's Track & Field/Cross Country

DOMINICAN COLLEGE (1)
Women's Volleyball

GEORGIAN COURT UNIVERSITY (1)
Men's Lacrosse

GOLDEY-BEACOM COLLEGE (5)
Baseball
Softball
Men's Golf
Women's Tennis
Women's Track & Field/Cross Country

HOLY FAMILY UNIVERSITY (3)
Men's Soccer
Women's Volleyball
Women's Tennis

JEFFERSON (10)
Men's Track & Field/Cross Country
Men's Golf
Women's Volleyball
Women's Basketball
Women's Lacrosse
Women's Tennis
Men's Soccer
Women's Soccer
Men's Basketball
Women's Track & Field/Cross Country

NYACK COLLEGE (4)
Softball
Women's Volleyball
Women's Track & Field/Cross Country
Women's Lacrosse

POST UNIVERSITY (1)
Men's Track & Field/Cross Country 

UNIVERSITY OF THE SCIENCES (5)
Women's Track & Field/Cross Country
Men's Golf
Men's Tennis
Women's Basketball
Women's Tennis

WILMINGTON UNIVERSITY (1)
Men's Lacrosse