Academy football recognized for high graduation success rate

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Rachel Hammes
  • U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  The American Football Coaches Association recently announced the Air Force Academy football program is one of six schools to have a 90 percent graduation success rate throughout the last three years.

The Academy is the only service academy, Mountain West Conference school and public institution to be achieve the feat.

"Cadet-athletes at the Air Force Academy have the toughest tasks in college football," said Troy Calhoun, the Falcons' head coach. "To play in one of the six major conferences, attend the top leadership and academic institution in the country and produce one of the top graduation rates in the country shows what kind of young men they are. They are committed to their academics, military training and athletics, and will serve on active duty upon graduation and be leaders in our Air Force."

Dr. Hans Mueh, Academy director of athletics, said he couldn't be more proud of the football team.

"Not only did they post the top turnaround in the country this year on the field, what they did off the field was remarkable, too," he said. "They are winning the right way, and the coaching staff is helping produce great leaders for our Air Force and country. These numbers show we are a model program in college football."

This year is the seventh year the National Collegiate Athletic Association's graduation success rate formula has been used to select the nation-wide winners.

Since 2008, the criteria for the AFCA's Academic Achievement Award is based on the highest NCAA graduation success rate and a federal graduation rate of 75 percent or better.

Additionally, the institution must have at least 15 students in the graduation success rate cohort.