The Orange football program earned the 2008 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA ) Academic Achievement Honorable Mention Award for its 2008 graduation rate.
Orange Football Earns 17th AFCA Academic Honor
10/27/2008 9:50:32 AM | Football
Waco, Texas – The Syracuse University football program is one of 46 schools to earn the 2008 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA ) Academic Achievement Honorable Mention Award, marking the 17th time the Orange has been honored. The 2007 Syracuse team was among 46 schools in the nation named to the honorable mention list. Colorado won the 2008 AFCA Academic Achievement Award.
The award is presented annually by the Touchdown Club of Memphis, which Syracuse won in 2000 for having a graduation rate of 100 percent. Syracuse’s 17 awards ranks eighth among all other schools in the country. It is also the most honors for by a BIG EAST Conference school. Rutgers is second with six appearances on the list.
This year's award marks the first time the NCAA's Graduation Success Rate (GSR) formula has been used to select the winner. From 1981 to 2007 the award was presented based on a formula used by the College Football Association and AFCA.
The GSR is based on a six-year graduation window for student-athletes, which is a change from the five-year window used by the CFA and AFCA. The GSR was developed by the NCAA as part of its academic reform initiative to more accurately assess the academic success of student-athletes. The GSR holds institutions accountable for transfer students, unlike the federal graduation rate. The GSR also accounts for midyear enrollees.
Under GSR calculation, institutions are not penalized for outgoing transfer students who leave in good academic standing. These outgoing transfers are passed to the receiving institution's GSR cohort. By counting incoming transfer students and midyear enrollees, the GSR increases the total number of student-athletes tracked for graduation by more than 37 percent. The NCAA also calculates the federal graduation rate for student-athletes because it is the only rate by which to compare student-athletes to the general student body.
The Academic Achievement Award was established by the College Football Association in 1981. The award recognized the CFA-member Football Bowl Subdivision institution with the highest graduation rate among members of its football team. When the CFA disbanded in 1997 the AFCA stepped in to present the award and conduct a graduation rate survey that encompassed all members of the FBS.
Notre Dame is tops in the nation with 27 appearances since 1981. They have been recognized every year since 1982. Duke (25), Virginia (23), Boston College (20), Rice (20), Vanderbilt (20) and Penn State (18) are second through seventh.
The 2008 Orange will host Louisville on Saturday, November 1 in the Carrier Dome (7:00 p.m., ESPNU). Tickets are available online or at the Carrier Dome Box Office (888-DOMETIX).
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