University of Nevada student-athletes set a department record with a graduation rate of 89 percent, as the NCAA announced its Graduation Success Rate annual report Thursday.

Nevada's previous record of 85 percent was set in 2019's report, and matched last year.

"Our University is extremely proud of this latest academic milestone by our Wolf Pack student-athletes in achieving the program's highest graduation rate ever," University President Brian Sandoval said. "The expectations for these future leaders are high – in academic and classroom work, in practices, in athletic competitions, as well as a program-wide commitment by our student-athletes to constantly be of service to our community. As with all things Wolf Pack, this has been a team effort that has included a strong commitment to academic success by our athletics administration, the program's coaches and athletic academic staff as well as the student-athletes themselves. The goal of our University is to ensure that all of our students can be whoever it is they wish to be. It is clear that the student-athletes of Wolf Pack athletics are well on their way in making a profound difference for the communities they will one day help lead."

This is the 17th year that the NCAA has calculated data for the GSR and the Wolf Pack's rate has risen 12 times in that span. The Wolf Pack's first score was 62 percent in 2005 and the GSR has risen steadily since. Overall, Nevada has seen more than 1,150 of its student-athletes graduate in the past 14 years, a figure that includes 62 student-athletes who participated in commencement ceremonies this past spring.

"We are proud of the continued efforts, dedication, and success of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff in competition and in the classroom," said Nevada Athletics Director Doug Knuth. "A third-straight year of matching or setting the department-record number of student-athletes graduating demonstrates the commitment we have to their experience at Nevada. We are grateful for the commitment and support of President Sandoval and the academic units on our campus."

This year's GSR is based on student-athletes in the 2014-15 freshman cohort. The Graduation Success Rate was developed by the NCAA as part of its academic reform initiative to more accurately assess the academic success of student-athletes.

The Division I Board of Directors created the GSR in 2002 in response to Division I college and university presidents who wanted data that more accurately reflected the mobility of college students beyond what the federal graduation rate measures. The federal rate counts as an academic failure any student who leaves a school, no matter whether he or she enrolls at another school. Also, the federal rate does not recognize students who enter school as transfer students.

The GSR formula removes from the rate student-athletes who leave school while academically eligible and includes student-athletes who transfer to a school after initially enrolling elsewhere. This calculation provides a more accurate appraisal of student-athlete success. The rate also allows for a deeper understanding of graduation success in individual sports than the federal metric, which provides only broad groupings.