MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota continues to lag behind its Big Ten counterparts in overall graduation of athletes and in two major sports.

The new Graduation Success Rate report from the NCAA covers student-athletes entering school from 1999 through 2002. It gave them a six-year window to graduate.

The Star Tribune reports the Gophers were last in the Big Ten in GSR in overall graduation of student-athletes and in football graduation, and tied with Michigan for last in men's basketball.

However, Minnesota's GSR numbers continued to improve over past years overall and in the major sports. Also, Minnesota athletes graduated a higher rate than the school's general student body. That matches the national trend.