Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Shines in APR Public Recognition Awards
5/13/2020 10:59:00 AM | Baseball, Football, Men's Basketball, Men's Tennis, Women's Basketball, Women's Cross Country & Track, Women's Golf, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Soccer, Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Volleyball, Wrestling, Field Hockey, Academic Services & Student Development, Women's Fencing
EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern led all Division I FBS institutions with 74% of its sport programs earning Academic Progress Rate (APR) Public Recognition Awards, as announced by the NCAA.
Additionally, 63% of the Wildcats' programs posted perfect APR scores, which also ranked first among FBS institutions. The Public Recognition Award is given to programs that score in the top-10 percent of their respective sport.
"The expectation of excellence at Northwestern extends to every facet of the student-athlete experience. In the classroom, the community and in competition, our young men and women continue to raise the bar," said Combe Family Vice President for Athletics & Recreation Jim Phillips. "Every spring the APR Public Recognition Awards are a benchmark of the tireless work Wildcats student-athletes and staff do to lead locally, in the Big Ten Conference, and throughout college athletics."
The Wildcats had 14 of their programs recognized by the NCAA in the latest data released, the most since the 2015 report. Northwestern's baseball, field hockey, football, men's basketball, men's tennis, wrestling, women's basketball, cross county, fencing, women's golf, lacrosse, women's soccer, women's swimming and diving and volleyball programs all earned the award.
Northwestern's total number of recognized programs led the Big Ten Conference. Northwestern was the only school in the Big Ten with a football program that earned the academic excellence honor.
This marks the ninth consecutive year that more than half of NU's 19 varsity programs received the recognition.
Northwestern women's golf and volleyball are among an elite group of 62 teams from across the country that have received the Public Recognition Award in each of the 15 years of the program.
APR scores for all Division I teams will be released May 19. The APR measures eligibility, graduation and retention each semester or academic term and provides a clear picture of the academic performance for each team in every sport. All teams must meet an academic threshold of 930 to qualify for the postseason and can face penalties for continued low academic performance.
The most recent APRs are multiyear rates based on scores from the 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years.
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