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NCAA honors academic excellence in Division I

More than 950 NCAA Division I sports teams were honored by the NCAA for earning Public Recognition Awards, based on their most recent multi-year Academic Progress Rate. These awards are given each year to teams with APRs in the top 10 percent plus ties in each sport.

Full APRs for all teams, including access to postseason play and penalties for low-performing teams, will be released June 11.

The 976 teams publicly recognized for high achievement represent 594 women’s teams and 382 men’s or mixed squads.

Top performing APRs this year ranged from 978 to a perfect 1,000, with the majority of teams earning a perfect APR.

“The NCAA’s quintessential student-athlete exhibits dedication and commitment both on the playing field and in the classroom,” said NCAA President Mark Emmert. “These teams and programs truly embody the overall values of the NCAA, and have exceeded standards to post fantastic academic scores. We are delighted by such a clear example of our membership’s commitment to providing well-rounded experiences to student-athletes.”

Nine NCAA national champions from the 2012-13 season are included in this year’s award list: Indiana University Men’s Soccer; University of Louisville Men’s Basketball; Yale University Men’s Ice Hockey; University of Georgia Women’s Swimming, University of Oregon Women’s Indoor Track, University of Alabama Men’s Golf; Duke University Men’s Lacrosse; University of Texas Women’s Volleyball; and University of Michigan Men’s Gymnastics. BCS National Champions University of Alabama football is recognized this year as well.

A total of 268 schools, out of 346 Division I colleges and universities, placed at least one team on the top APR list.

Dartmouth College had the most teams (25) recognized, followed by Brown University (20) and Bucknell University (19).

In 2012, 954 teams were recognized.

Each year, the NCAA tracks the classroom performance of student-athletes on every Division I team through the annual scorecard of academic achievement, known as APR. The rate measures eligibility, graduation and retention each semester or quarter and provides a clear picture of the academic performance in each sport. The most recent APRs are multi-year rates based on scores from the 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-2012 academic years.