Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Intercollegiate Athletics topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
MTSU athletics posts 94% graduation success rate; student-athlete performance center on schedule
Summary
MTSU Athletics reported a 94 percent Graduation Success Rate for 2023–24, the department’s best mark in Conference USA, and said the student-athlete performance center construction remains on schedule for completion and move-in ahead of the fall season.
Athletics Director Chris Massaro reported to the Middle Tennessee State University Board of Trustees that the athletics department’s 2023–24 Graduation Success Rate (GSR) was 94 percent, the highest in Conference USA and part of a six-year streak of GSR figures in the 90s.
Key numbers and ranking: Massaro said the department’s GSR for 2023–24 was 94 percent for all student-athletes. He said the football program’s GSR was 92 percent, the top mark in Conference USA and about 23rd nationally. He noted the GSR uses a longer-term metric that accounts for transfers with eligibility, distinguishing it from the Federal Graduation Rate.
Facilities and timeline: Massaro provided an update on the student-athlete performance center under construction. He said the contractor plans to remove the construction fence and trailers in April, with construction largely complete by April 30, and a two-month move-in period thereafter. The athletics department aims to hold a ribbon-cutting in July and have the facility fully integrated before fall sports practice begins.
Other items: Massaro highlighted Conference USA’s "Stars of Tomorrow" initiative and noted MTSU had four students chosen — more than any other Conference USA school — two of whom are applied-physics majors and two in other STEM and nursing fields. Trustees asked about the impact of NIL (name, image and likeness) and increased transfer activity on graduation rates; Massaro said the university has not seen a measurable negative impact yet and credited cultural and academic support systems for sustained student-athlete success.
Next steps: Massaro said renderings and further design materials for the Murphy Center work are scheduled to appear at the March board meeting if the state allocation moves forward; trustees asked for continued updates on construction and integration.
