The University of Tennessee was right on pace with the rest of Division I-A schools in the NCAA's latest survey of graduation rates.

The Vols -- men and women combined -- graduated 62 percent of the athletes who enrolled in the 1998-99 freshman class. That matched exactly the national rate for the most recently calculated class.

The number was slightly above the 59 percent rate for all students who entered UT in that class.

UT's figure ranked third in the SEC. Vanderbilt led with a 73 percent mark, followed by South Carolina at 65 percent. Ole Miss was last at 42 percent.

At Tennessee, the male student-athletes in the '98-99 class had a 39 percent rate, compared to 88 percent for the Lady Vols. The national Division I-A average for males was 55 percent and 71 percent for females.

Football's rate for the class was 28 percent at UT, compared to 54 percent nationally. In men's basketball, the Vols had a zero percentage. Vincent Yarbrough was the only freshman in the class.

Women's basketball was 100 percent.

The latest release also included a new figure called Graduation Success Rate, which the NCAA feels is a more accurate depiction.

Unlike the federal methodology used for the above data, the GRS accounts for incoming transfers who graduate and outgoing transfers who leave in good academic standing.

UT checked in at 71 percent on the GRS scale, slightly below the national average of 76 percent.

More relevant data will be released next month.

The initial APR (academic progress rate) report could cause some programs to lose scholarships if they fall below nationally mandated standards.

"I think that for the most part we're going to be OK,'' said UT men's athletic director Mike Hamilton. "There's always work to be done.''

As for whether any men's teams will be penalized scholarships, Hamilton said, "I don't want to talk about that until they come out.''

Honor Roll: UT ranked third with 46 athletes on the fall sports 2005 SEC Academic Honor Roll.

That includes 30 from football, 10 from soccer and six from volleyball.

Football starters achieving a 3.0 grade average for the spring, summer and fall terms were Rob Smith, James Wilhoit, Erik Ainge, Rick Clausen, C.J. Fayton, Omar Gaither and Parys Haralson.

UT also announced a record 243 athletes from all sports achieved a 3.0 or higher in the fall semester.