Raising the Bar Academically
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – For the sixth consecutive year, the University of Arkansas exceeds the benchmark Academic Progress Rate (APR) multiyear rate of 930 in all 19 of its intercollegiate sport programs. All programs eclipsed the benchmark by at least 24 points with 13 programs besting the 930 benchmark by 42 points or more.
Arkansas’ sport programs averaged a record rate of 984.2, marking the seventh straight year the program average has exceeded 970. The previous program best APR average was 977.8 in 2015-16. The average is based on the 17 APR scores released for the University of Arkansas. The NCAA combines APR scores for indoor and outdoor track and field.
Last week, the Razorback women’s golf, women’s gymnastics and women’s tennis programs earned NCAA Public Recognition Awards for ranking among the top 10 percent of teams in their respective sports nationally. All three programs scored a perfect 1,000 multiyear rate.
It was the ninth NCAA Public Recognition Award earned by women’s golf, the fourth by gymnastics and the first such award for women’s tennis. The University of Arkansas has now earned a total of 16 public recognition awards in the past six years. Other top scoring programs include women’s cross country (996), women’s softball (995), women’s volleyball (995) and men’s tennis (993).
“As demonstrated by the rates in our most recent APR report, Razorback student-athletes are achieving record-breaking academic success on the path to graduation,” Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Hunter Yurachek said. “All 19 of our sport programs are well above the national benchmark and have shown sustained improvement. The success of all our student-athletes, has allowed our program to achieve a record APR multiyear average. The Jerry and Gene Jones Family Student-Athlete Success Center will continue to be the centerpiece of our commitment to provide the resources and academic support needed to assist our student-athletes in earning their degrees and developing them, in all aspects of their lives, through the intercollegiate athletics experience.”
Men’s basketball exceeded the benchmark for the sixth consecutive year and posted its best multiyear rate ever (985). The program increased its rate by 25 points since the same listing last year. In the past eight years, the men’s basketball multiyear rate has improved 93 points.
Football made a seven-point gain in its multiyear APR to earn a 977 in the most current listing. It marked the third straight year the football program’s APR increased and was the highest multiyear rate recorded by the football program since APR was implemented. This year’s APR multiyear rate (977) eclipsed the previous record (966) set last year.
In addition to men’s basketball and football, men’s tennis (+26), men’s track and field (+22), men’s cross country (+20) and women’s softball (+11) also saw double-digit point improvements in APR multiyear rates.
Arkansas posted a single-year average rate of 985.8 for all 19 programs. Men’s cross country improved its single-year APR rate by 94 points while men’s track improved its single-year rate by 69 points from last year’s listing.
In 2017-18, a total of 124 Razorback student-athletes were eligible to participate in commencement ceremonies in the fall and the spring. Razorbacks Athletics has averaged more than 100 graduates per year over the past three years.
The APR is based on academic eligibility and retention of student-athletes in each athletic program. This report’s multiyear scores are based on the 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 academic years.
University of Arkansas APR Superlatives
- Set program record with program multi-year average of 984.2
- Sixth consecutive year that all 19 sport programs exceeded benchmark of 930
- All programs exceed benchmark by at least 24 points (954) with 13 programs (including both indoor/outdoor track) exceeding the benchmark by 42 points (972) or more.
- Seventh-consecutive year the program multiyear average exceeded 970
- Women’s golf, women’s gymnastics and women’s tennis earned NCAA Public Recognition Awards for ranking in top 10 percent of their respective sports nationally. All three teams posted a perfect 1,000 multiyear APR rate.
- Arkansas has now earned a total of 16 Public Recognition Awards during the past six years.
- Razorback Athletics posted a single-year average rate of 985.8 for all 19 programs.
- Men’s Basketball posted a program record multiyear APR rate of 985. In the past eight years, the men’s basketball multiyear APR rate has improved by 93 points.
- Ten programs recorded a perfect 1,000 single-year APR rate (men’s basketball, men’s cross country, men’s golf, men’s tennis, women’s cross country, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, women’s softball, women’s tennis and women’s volleyball).
- Total of 124 Razorback student-athletes qualified for graduation in 2017-18.
