STATESBORO – The NCAA released its Graduation Success Rate data for member schools on Wednesday, and three Georgia Southern varsity programs recorded a four-year weighted average of 100 percent from the years encompassing 2007-10.

The NCAA developed the Graduation Success Rate formula, or GSR, as part of its 2003 academic reform initiatives to better measure student-athlete academic success. It differs from the federal graduation rate in several ways, most notably by not penalizing schools that have transfers who depart in good academic standing and by counting transfers who enroll into a school in good academic standing. The GSR also takes into account the academic standing of mid-year enrollees, whereas the federal formula does not.

The NCAA's GSR metric allows student-athletes six years to earn their degrees. This year's rate is based on the average of student-athletes who enrolled in 2007, 2008, 2009 and the most recent data of 2010 and also graduated within six years following their enrollment. Thus, those in the 2007 freshman class would have earned a degree by 2013; those in the 2008 class by 2014, those in the 2009 class by 2015, and those in the 2010 class by 2016.

Last year, two GS teams finished with a GSR of 100. That number rose to three this year (again, four-year average) including men's basketball, men's tennis and women's tennis. All 13 sports at Southern recorded GSR's above the national average.

"We stress rings, leaders and diplomas and I'm really pleased with how we've really progressed with our work in the classroom," said GS director of athletics Tom Kleinlein. "We are proud to our student-athletes' overall high level of success reflected in this year's GSR data knowing the rigorous curriculum that many of our student athletes are undertaking."

In addition to the three programs that recorded perfect scores, six other GS programs recorded GSRs of 85 or better, including women's basketball (94), women's swimming & diving (94), volleyball (92), men's golf (91), women's soccer (91) and softball (86).

For those interested in reading more about the NCAA and the latest GSR report, please click here.