UW Athletics Better at Academics

The NCAA released annual Division I Academic Progress Rate (APR) data on Wednesday, and several University of Wyoming athletics teams recorded their best scores since the NCAA began utilizing the APR as a measure of academic performance back in the 2003-04 academic year.  Eight of Wyoming’s 17 athletic teams recorded all-time high four-year averages in the most recent data.

The most recent APR four-year averages released were based on two factors: the retention rate of scholarship student-athletes and the academic eligibility of scholarship student-athletes over the four-year period from 2010-11 through the 2013-14 academic years.

Wyoming had two teams, men’s golf and women’s tennis, record perfect scores of 1,000 for the four-year period.  It marked the third year in a row that the Cowboy golf team recorded a perfect score based on its four-year average.  The women’s tennis team score of 1,000 was their best ever since the NCAA began utilizing the APR as a measure of academic performance.  Cowgirl tennis’ previous high was a four-year average of 985 recorded a year ago.

Six other UW teams also recorded their highest four-year average in the 10 years of the APR.  Those six were: men’s basketball  with an APR of 951, football (960), men’s swimming and diving (972), women’s swimming and diving (983), women’s indoor track and field (973) and women’s outdoor track and field (975).

“We are very proud of the academic achievement of our student-athletes and the work done by our coaching staffs to recruit quality young men and women to the University of Wyoming,” said Matt Whisenant, UW Deputy Athletics Director.  “To see so many of our teams record team high APR scores this past year is a testament to the work of many individuals, who help provide an environment where our student-athletes can excel academically and at the same time enjoy a quality college experience that keeps them at UW throughout their college careers.”

Included in the information on the APR at NCAA.org are explanations of the current APR calculations and standards.  A link to Wednesday’s release by the NCAA may be found at: http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/raising-bar

The APR is calculated as follows:

∙Each student-athlete receiving athletically related financial aid earns one point for staying in school and one point for being academically eligible.

∙A team’s total points are divided by points possible and then multiplied by 1,000 to equal the team’s Academic Progress Rate.

∙In addition to a team’s current-year APR, its rolling four-year APR is also used to determine accountability.

Currently, teams must earn a 930 four-year average APR or a 940 average over the most recent two years to participate in NCAA championships.  In 2015-16 and beyond, teams must earn a four-year APR of 930 to compete in championships.

All of Wyoming’s 17 NCAA-sanctioned sports teams exceeded the 930 minimum four-year average for the most recent data released on Wednesday.  In fact, all 17 UW teams achieved an average score of over 950 during the most recent four-year period.