Graduation rates of Gophers athlete go up a bit

The Graduation Success Rate (GSR) for Gopher student-athletes climbed higher again this year, continuing a long-term trend.

The University of Minnesota today announced this year's GSR of 90 percent is two percentage points higher than last year and 23 points higher than Minnesota's first GSR, released by the NCAA in 2005.

"We regularly talk with our students, our coaches and our staff about doing things the right way, and a big piece of that for me is focusing on academics, working hard in the classroom and ensuring our students are graduating," athletic director Mark Coyle said. "… Graduating students is always our number one priority, so I'm happy to see our graduation success rate is once again very high."

Graduation Success Rates for all 11 Gopher women's programs were 85 percent or higher and eight exceeded 90 percent. Six programs were a perfect 100 percent in the latest report: basketball, gymnastics, hockey, tennis, soccer and volleyball.

Eight Gopher men's programs achieved GSRs of 83 percent or higher and seven were above 90 percent, led by golf, gymnastics and tennis all achieving 100 percent rates.

Four hockey players sign with U

The Gophers men's hockey team announced it has signed four players to national letters of intent: forward Casey Mittelstadt of Eden Prairie High School, forward Brannon McManus of Omaha in the USHL, and two U.S. national development team player, defenseman Nate Knoepke and forward Scott Reed.

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