May 23, 2006

WACO (AFCA) - SMU will receive the American Football Coaches Association's 2006 Academic Achievement Award, which is presented annually by the Touchdown Club of Memphis. The school recorded a 100 percent graduation rate when all members of its freshman class of 2000-2001 earned a degree.

SMU's win was the first for the school since the College Football Association began presenting the award in 1981. The AFCA has presented the award since 1998.

Although it is topping the list for the first time, SMU has been honored in the honorable mention category 11 times through the years (1987, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005).

"It's an honor to win this award and it shows the commitment SMU makes to its student-athletes," SMU Head Coach Phil Bennett said. "It's also a tribute to our tremendous academic support staff, our faculty and our student-athletes that value their educational success. We're very proud of this achievement and we will continue to strive for academic excellence."

Twenty-eight other institutions will be recognized for graduating 70 percent or more of their football student-athletes. Five of those institutions achieved a rate of 90 percent or better: Boston College, Duke, Northwestern, Notre Dame and Southern Mississippi. The others receiving honorable mention are: Auburn, Baylor, California, Cincinnati, Clemson, Colorado State, Florida State, Iowa, Iowa State, Maryland, Miami (Ohio), Nebraska, North Carolina, Penn State, Rice, Rutgers, Syracuse, Texas Tech, Troy, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and West Virginia.

The overall graduation rate of the 104 schools that responded to the survey was 58 percent, equaling last year's mark. Fifty of the members responding were above the average and 54 were below the average. The median graduation rate was 57 percent, compared to 57 percent last year and 60 percent two years ago. The 104 respondents to this year's survey is a record high. One hundred and three schools replied in 2005.

The study involves the freshman class from the academic year of 2000-2001, including those who entered at that time but who did not receive financial aid until after their initial year, or who transferred from another institution and subsequently received a grant-in-aid.

Academic Achievement Award Winners Through the Years
1981: Duke*
1982: Notre Dame*
1983: Notre Dame*
1984: Duke & Notre Dame*
1985: Virginia*
1986: Virginia*
1987: Duke*
1988: Notre Dame*
1989: Kentucky*
1990: Duke*
1991: Notre Dame*
1992: Boston College & TCU*
1993: Duke*
1994: Duke*
1995: Boston College, Duke & Wake Forest*
1996: Boston College, Duke & Vanderbilt*
1997: Duke*
1998: Northwestern
1999: Duke
2000: Syracuse
2001: Notre Dame & Vanderbilt
2002: Northwestern
2003: Duke
2004: Boston College & Northwestern
2005: Duke & Northwestern
2006: SMU
*- Presented by the College Football Association