A Pioneer Press analysis of the Gophers men's basketball team shows its graduation rate is 26 percent--half the conference average.

Whether they cheated or not, scholarship athletes on the University of Minnesota men's basketball team have the worst record of earning diplomas in the Big 10 Conference, a Pioneer Press analysis of graduation figures shows.

Just one in four freshmen Gopher basketball players who were recruited from 1983 to 1991 eventually graduated from the university, the analysis of National Collegiate Athletic Association data shows. On average, about half of the men's basketball players in the Big 10 earned diplomas.

Graduation rates for all U of M athletes

View Big Ten graduation rates

In a separate analysis, the Pioneer Press found that only two of 21 students linked to the academic fraud scandal at the university have received degrees. Most of the other players who allegedly benefited from course work done by former university tutor Jan Gangelhoff have left the university with no degree.

The findings indicate that even as Gangelhoff says she was writing hundreds of papers and take-home tests to help players from 1993 to 1998, the promise of a bachelor's degree eluded the majority of those recruited to play basketball for the Golden Gophers.

Two law firms hired by the university are investigating the allegations of academic fraud first reported last month. But the low graduation rate for basketball players is a problem that has lingered since the 1980s.

Under coach Clem Haskins, who was hired in 1986, the Gophers graduation rate declined slightly in comparison to the three previous years, the analysis shows. The graduation rate for freshmen entering the program during the Haskins years, from 1986 to 1991, was 23 percent.

By contrast, two Big 10 schools, Penn State and Northwestern University, had graduation rates of 80 percent or more for their incoming freshmen basketball players during the same six-year period. Graduation rates at other Big 10 universities ranged from 31 percent to 74 percent during that time.

"This is disturbing," said university President Mark Yudof, who indicated he had no explanation for the low graduation rate. "We are going to have to look at this intensively."

Coach Clem Haskins

Yudof said higher admission standards already in place at the university may affect the graduation rate in the future. But any changes made in recent years won't show up in the NCAA graduation figures until after the year 2000, he said.

Elayne Donahue, who retired four months ago after having served as director of academic counseling since 1983, said athletic department officials were aware of the low graduation rate but "I never heard a concerned voice." Instead, she said, the low graduation rate has been blamed on players who leave after one year or go on to play professionally.

"People are quick to explain it away instead of taking responsibility for it," said Donahue, who supervised counselors and tutors who worked with athletes.

Men's basketball includes many academically at-risk students, but that is not the only reason for the low graduation rate, she said. Other athletic programs have done a better job at making academics a priority, she added.

"There are coaches who really want their kids to graduate," said Donahue, citing outgoing Gopher hockey coach Doug Woog as an example.

Hockey players' graduation rates are reported in a larger category of other men's sports. That group had a 43 percent graduation rate for the nine-year period.

Woog resigned this week week after two consecutive losing seasons to become an assistant athletic director at the university.

John Blanchard, who replaced Donahue as academic counseling director in January, said he is too new to the university to know why Gopher basketball players are less successful than other Big 10 players at earning diplomas. He said his mission is to work with student-athletes individually to enhance their academic success.

In the graduation-rate analysis, the newspaper compared nine years of data collected by the NCAA, using the same method the association employs. The rate for freshmen who entered in 1991 is based on how many of them earned degrees six years later. Students who transferred to other institutions are not counted as graduating from their original university. Student-athletes who transfer to a university after the freshman year are not considered in this analysis.

Among the former players who have not graduated are the five starters on the 1997 Final Four team: John Thomas, Bobby Jackson, Eric Harris, Courtney James and Sam Jacobson. None registered for classes during the 1998-99 school year. A separate analysis considered 21 players linked to academic fraud allegations at the university. The two who graduated are former reserve center Trevor Winter, who got a business management degree in 1997, and reserve player Ryan Wolf, who received a bachelor of science degree in 1995, according to the university registrar's office.

Gangelhoff has said she wrote one paper for each of the two players, the least amount of course work allegedly done for any of the 21 players.

Winter's paper was written for a group project. The group included Gangelhoff, then a university student, and three other players. Winter has said he does not recall who did the work.

The paper Gangelhoff says she wrote for Wolf is on Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. It is virtually identical to papers turned in by two other players. Wolf has declined to comment.

Of the 21 students linked to the investigation, two remain enrolled at the university. The others are not currently enrolled.

Antoine Broxsie, the only player with eligibility remaining, is enrolled in classes spring quarter, as is Jason Stanford. Miles Tarver and Kevin Clark, starters this past season, are not currently enrolled, according to the registrar's office.