Nov. 13, 2007

The latest issue of DIVERSE ® Issues in Higher Education ranks the Johnson C. Smith University football and men's basketball program at number three amongst Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in Black student-athlete graduation rates.

In data that was collected from 83% of Division II teams that reported in 2002, 94% in 2004 and 67% in 2006 programs with the best overall Black student-athlete graduation rates are: Elizabeth City State, which graduated slightly over 71 percent of its Black football players; Lane College at 71 percent exactly, followed by Johnson C. Smith University at nearly 70 percent.

"Johnson C. Smith University and its athletics department has historically taken academics seriously," remarked athletics director and head men's basketball coach Steve Joyner, Sr. "We make a conscious effort to provide an environment where our student-athletes can succeed not only on the playing fields but in the classroom as well."

Regarding men's basketball, much of the HBCU data is incomplete. However, the institutions that graduated the most Black student-athletes, averaged over 2002, 2004 and 2006, are: Elizabeth City University which graduated 88.9 percent of its Black basketball players; Delaware State University at 70 percent, Johnson C. Smith University at 66.7 percent, the University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff at 55.6 percent and Mississippi Valley State University at 52.1 percent