UConn's football program gets national recognition for graduation rate

Class of 2007 graduates and members of the UConn football team. Photo courtesy of UConn Athletic Communications.

This is the fourth time in six years that UConn has been honored by the American Football Coaches Association.

The University of Connecticut football program has done itself proud by making sure players leave the school with a solid education.

The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) has recognized UConn for reaching a 70 percent or better graduation rate for 2007.

The graduation rate for the general student body in 2007 was 75 percent.

This is the fourth time in six years that UConn has been honored by the Association's Academic Achievement Award program. UConn was also recognized in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

Nationwide, the overall graduation rate of the 107 schools that responded to the AFCA survey was 60 percent, surpassing the mark of 58 percent in each of the previous two years.

UConn is among 32 institutions recognized for graduating 70 percent or more of their student-athletes in the football program, including: Alabama, Arkansas State, Ball State, Baylor, Boston College, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, UConn, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana Tech, Miami (Ohio), Mississippi State, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Penn State, Rice, Rutgers, Syracuse, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech, Toledo, Troy, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Washington State, Wisconsin.

Two schools, Duke and Vanderbilt, achieved a 95 percent graduation rate.

“We are happy to be recognized by the AFCA for our graduation rates once again," said UConn Head Coach Randy Edsall. “This is a great credit to our players and to Ellen Rennie and her staff at CPIA [Counseling Program for Intercollegiate Athletes] which works so diligently to help the student-athletes here at the University of Connecticut."

Posted Oct. 31, 2008