Graduation rates are always tricky subjects for university athletic departments.

The perception of academically challenged jocks has been around longer than shoulder pads and facemasks. The stigma lingers despite a recent trend towards better graduation numbers.

More positive news came out of releases issued by the University of Tennessee and the NCAA on Tuesday.

UT officials for the men’s and women’s programs announced a graduation success rate of 78 percent for athletes who entered the university from 1998-99 through 2001-02.

That’s a five-percent step in the right direction since numbers for 1997-2000 released a year ago were at 73 percent, below the national standard.

Things have evened up in just one year.

Despite the improvements made by UT, the Vols still rank among the lower echelon of SEC sports in the three major sports of football, basketball and baseball.

Tennessee’s 78 percent graduation rate was exactly in tune with the overall NCAA report. The NCAA reported a record success rate of 78 percent, up one percent from last year’s report.

Records also showed of students who entered school in 2001, 79 percent graduated within six years. A sign the recent upswing is continuing.

UT men’s athletic director Mike Hamilton and women’s AD Joan Cronan give much of the credit for better numbers to UT’s academic support group at the Thornton Center.

“The Thornton Center has been very active in the NCAA’s academic progression discussions and has put in place a great framework to make sure our athletes stay on track,” Hamilton said in a release. “If our student-athletes aren’t winning academically, they won’t be competing.”

Break down the numbers and it’s also clear the Lady Vols have a serious edge on the Vols in finishing their degrees.

The lowest graduation success rate for any Lady Vols’ sport in the 1998-2002 window was the golf team at 86 percent. Women’s basketball, rowing, volleyball and tennis had perfect 100 percent GSRs.

On the men’s side, an 86 percent graduation success rate from the cross country/track and field team was the highest mark the Vols posted from 1998-02.

Tennis had an 80 percent GSR, swimming and diving 75, baseball 56, football 54, golf 50 and basketball 38.

The low graduation rates in men’s basketball, baseball and football is a national issue, as well as UT issue.

NCAA numbers show men’s basketball has the lowest graduation success rate nationwide at 62 percent. Football is at 67 percent and baseball 68 percent.

Among SEC schools in the major sports, Georgia obviously has some work to do.

Vanderbilt led the way in football graduations at 91 percent and Georgia was worst at 48 percent. In basketball, Florida was No. 1 at 89 percent and Georgia worst at 23 percent. In baseball, Vandy was atop the league at 100 percent and Auburn worst at 42 percent.

UT also announced its 2001-02 freshmen athletes graduated on par or at a slightly higher rate than the general student body.

The RAC (Renewing Academic Commitment) continues to provide former Vols and Lady Vols who left the school in good standing to return and work towards earning their degrees.

A total of 20 former athletes are working in the RAC program. Six graduated in 2007-08.

Since the inception of the program in 2003, 29 former athletes have returned to school and received degrees.

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SEC men's graduation rates for student-athletes in football, basketball and baseball entering school 1998-2001.

Football

Vanderbilt 91

Florida 68

South Carolina 65

Ole Miss 63

Mississippi State 63

Auburn 57

Kentucky 56

Alabama 55

LSU 54

Tennessee 54

Arkansas 52

Georgia 48

Basketball

Florida 89

Alabama 82

Vanderbilt 80

South Carolina 69

Ole Miss 57

Arkansas 54

Mississippi State 53

Auburn 44

LSU 40

Kentucky 38

Tennessee 38

Georgia 23

Baseball

Vanderbilt 100

Florida 74

Mississippi State 74

South Carolina 73

Alabama 71

Georgia 62

Ole Miss 62

Kentucky 59

Tennessee 56

Arkansas 54

LSU 45

Auburn 42

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.