MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. | The Georgia College & State University Department of Athletics is ranked first among all NCAA Division II public institutions in Academic Success Rate in the nation for the fourth consecutive year.

"I am so incredibly proud of our Bobcat scholar-athletes," said GCSU President Cathy Cox. "They are disciplined, focused, and hard-working on their courts and playing fields – and in their classrooms. They set big goals for their competition seasons and for their lives – and that's what this statistic represents to us: Bobcat scholar-athletes work hard to be the best in everything they do. That's what makes them winners – for life!"

Georgia College posted a 92 percent Academic Success Rate, which is the percentage of student-athletes who graduate within six years of initial college enrollment, the measurement used by the NCAA. The Bobcats also ranked in 12th overall, was tops among the Peach Belt Conference and second in the Southeast region.

The Division II ASR includes transfers into a school in the calculation and removes those who transferred out of the school while academically eligible. The ASR also includes over 30,000 non-scholarship student-athletes who were enrolled in the four years covered in the most recent data.

"This recognition pays tribute to the emphasis Georgia College places on student success every single day," said GCSU Director of Athletics Wendell Staton. "From coaches, to faculty, to admissions reps and all staff, Bobcats invest a lot of personal care and attention into our campus. These honors are truly a team effort. Academic excellence at Georgia Collage is not an accident — it's by design."

GCSU is also one of 44 NCAA Division II institutions to all receive the Presidents' Award for Academic Excellence that have achieved an Academic Success Rate of 90 percent or higher. It is the fifth consecutive year that the Bobcats have received the award.

About GCSU Athletics 
Owning the top Academic Success Rate among all public colleges and universities in Division II for four consecutive academic years, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won five consecutive Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence, and are two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup and four-time winners of the PBC Institution of the Year Sportsmanship Award. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' continued appearances in postseason competition as well as high-level academic success and community-service involvement. Bobcat Athletics embodies the mantra of "Graduating Champions for Life." Sign up at @GCSUBobcats on all social media outlets for up-to-the-minute reports or subscribe to the GSCU Athletics e-newsletter to receive the latest news, schedule updates and to interact with GCSU Athletics.