Razorbacks Exceed APR Benchmark in all 19 Sports
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – For the seventh 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 26 points with 15 programs besting the 930 benchmark by 38 points or more.
Arkansas’ sport programs averaged a rate of 983.2, marking the eighth straight year the program average has exceeded 970. 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, a program record six Razorback programs were recognized with NCAA Public Recognition Awards for ranking among the top 10 percent of teams in their respective sports nationally. Women’s cross country, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, softball, women’s tennis and volleyball all earned a perfect 1,000 multiyear rate.
The University of Arkansas has now earned a total of 29 public recognition awards since the program began including 22 in the past seven years. Other top scoring programs included women’s swimming and diving (995) and men’s tennis (993).
“Razorback student-athletes continue to demonstrate that it is possible to achieve academic and athletics success on the path to graduation,” Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Hunter Yurachek said. “Thanks to the dedication of our student-athletes, coaches and academic support staff, all 19 of our sports are performing well above the APR multi-year benchmark. Congratulations to our more than 465 student-athletes for their continued success on and off the field. As a program, we will continue to focus on fostering student-athlete success on the way to fulfilling our mission of building champions and Razorbacks for life.”
Football made a five-point gain in its multiyear APR to earn a 982 in the most current listing. It marked the fourth straight year the football program’s APR increased and is the highest multiyear rate recorded by the football program since APR was implemented. This year’s APR multiyear rate (982) eclipsed the previous record (977) set last year.
In addition to football, baseball (+8), men’s golf (+6), softball (+5), volleyball (+5), women’s cross country (+4) and men’s track (+3) also saw improvements in APR multiyear rates.
Arkansas posted a single-year average rate of 982.7 for all 19 programs. Five Razorback programs recorded improvements in single year APR rates from last year. Women’s basketball led the way, improving its single year APR rate by 41 points. Women’s track and field (+27), women’s soccer (+19), baseball (+14) and women’s swimming and diving (+11) also registered double-digit increases in single year rates.
Of Razorback student-athletes who will complete their athletic eligibility this year, 95 percent are on target to graduate this year. In 2018-19, a total of 101 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 four 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 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 academic years.
University of Arkansas APR Superlatives
- Recorded a program multi-year average of 983.2
- Eighth-consecutive year the program multiyear average exceeded 970
- Seventh consecutive year that all 19 sport programs exceeded benchmark of 930
- All programs exceed benchmark by at least 26 points (956) with 15 programs exceeding the benchmark by 38 points (968) or more
- Women’s cross country, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, softball, women’s tennis and volleyball earned NCAA Public Recognition Awards for ranking in top 10 percent of their respective sports nationally. All six teams posted a perfect 1,000 multiyear APR rate
- Arkansas has now earned a total of 22 Public Recognition Awards during the past seven years
- Razorback Athletics posted a single-year average rate of 982.7 for all 19 programs
- Nine programs recorded a perfect 1,000 single-year APR rate (men’s tennis, women’s cross country, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, softball, women’s soccer, women’s swimming and diving, women’s tennis and volleyball)
- Total of 101 Razorback student-athletes on target to graduate in 2018-19
