University of Florida Wins Basketball Title and Is Also a Champion in Graduating Black Athletes

On Monday night the University of Florida won the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s men’s basketball tournament. In terms of graduating its black basketball players, Florida is also a national champion. Among the universities that made it to the Final Four this past weekend in Indianapolis, the University of Florida was the only institution to post a perfect 100 percent graduation rate for black basketball players.

The University of California at Los Angeles, Florida’s opponent in the championship game and the highest academically ranked of the universities in the Final Four, had the lowest black graduation rate for basketball players among the four universities. Only 27 percent of black basketball players at UCLA earn their diplomas. For all black students enrolling at UCLA, 73 percent go on to earn their degree.

Among the other universities that made it to the Final Four,  George Mason University has a black graduation rate for basketball players of 75 percent. Only 29 percent of the black basketball players at Louisiana State University go on to graduate.