DENTON – The NCAA released its most recent Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data Wednesday, and North Texas student-athletes have continued to improve in the classroom with a record-high cumulative score of 83, surpassing the previous record of 82 set last year.

"It's exciting that North Texas athletics posted our all-time high graduation success rate," North Texas Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics and Director of Athletics Wren Baker said. "This continues a positive trend. Our student-athletes, coaches and staff members work hard to represent the University of North Texas and I am proud of each of them."

The most recent GSR information is based on the four freshmen classes in that entered school from 2007 through 2010. It allows a six-year window in which student-athletes can go on to earn their degree. The combined 83 scored for all 12 sports is the highest it has ever been since GSR data collecting began with the 1995-98 cohort. It marks the ninth straight year of GSR data that Mean Green student-athletes have improved or maintained their cumulative score, improving from a score of 67 in the 2008-09 data to the current 83.

The Mean Green tennis team led the way with a perfect GSR score of 100, which was the second consecutive year that head coach Sujay Lama and his team accomplished that feat. Soccer (96) and volleyball (92) had the two next-best scores. Six of the 12 sports for North Texas were at or above the Div. I average for their respective programs, including football and men’s basketball, along with men's track and field and women’s soccer, tennis and volleyball.

The GSR was developed by the NCAA as part of its academic reform initiative to more accurately measure the academic success of Division I student-athletes by better accounting for the many different academic paths followed by today's college students. The NCAA also released the most recent federal graduation rate data in conjunction with the GSR information. The GSR holds institutions accountable for transfer students, whereas the federal graduation rate does not. The GSR also accounts for midyear enrollees. The NCAA 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.