Women's Teams Leaders In NCAA APR
4/25/2016 7:19:00 PM | Cross Country, Women's Golf, Athletics, Bearkat Champions Fund
The Bearkat women's cross country and women's golf teams have accomplished an academic feat that rates the two squads among the elite in NCAA athletics.
Both have achieved perfect four-year Academic Progress Rates (APRs) of 1,000.
“With perfect 1,000 APRs, those two programs rank among the top ten percent of NCAA programs with the highest APRs,” Curtis Collier, Sam Houston compliance coordinator said. “Considering we've only had one team have a perfect APR score here before, this is an amazing accomplishment. It's almost unprecedented to have two teams with perfect scores. What's even more exciting is that we have two more teams here at Sam Houston who are on track to do it in the future.”
Every Division I sports team across the nation calculates its APR each academic year, similar to a report card. Scholarship student-athletes each semester earn one point for remaining eligible and one point for staying in school or graduating.
“For a team to earn a perfect score of 1,000, every member of that team must maintain their academic eligibility each of their four years of competition and graduate,” Collier said.
The 17 Bearkat intercollegiate sports teams are leaders in the Southland Conference in academic accomplishment. During the 2015 fall semester, the more than 400 student-athletes who represent Sam Houston on the field and in the arena combined to post a department record overall grade point average of 3.22. A total of 115 student-athletes who competed in fall sports were named to the Southland Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll (3.0 semester GPAs or above), a figure that led the league.
“Our department seeks to define the student-athlete experience,” Sam Houston director of athletics Bobby Williams said. “Our APR accomplishments and the 3.22 GPA have come during a season which saw our football team make its fifth consecutive national playoff appearance, our men's and women's track and field teams both win indoor championships and our men's and women's basketball, soccer and volleyball programs all produce outstanding showings at their respective Southland tournaments.
The success of our young men and women both in the class room and in the arena represents a total team effort by our coaches, student-athletes and administrative staff.”
Led by the nationally-ranked women's bowling team with a 3.80 GPA, eight Sam Houston athletic squads produced grade point averages above 3.0. Bearkat student-athletes produce a higher grade point average than the general student population at the university.
Sam Houston's APR accomplishments reflect overall gains for Division I student-athletes in the classroom according to an announcement from the NCAA April 20. The 2014-15 overall four-year rate is 979, up one point from the previous year's mark.
NCAA President Mark Emmert applauded Division I student-athletes for their continued academic achievement and dedication to earning a degree.
“Division I student-athletes learn to balance playing a sport they love with the pursuit of a degree, and we honor their continued success in the classroom. The APR data prove that students can achieve both academically and athletically,” Emmert said. “Supporting our students as they work toward graduation is a top priority of everyone involved in college athletics.”
As tracked through the APR, more than 14,000 former college athletes have returned to school to get their degrees since the NCAA created the measurement tool. Each of those students earns back a lost APR point for their team. More than 7,500 competed in baseball, men's basketball, football and women's basketball – the highest-profile sports in college athletics. Each of those graduates earned APR points for their team.
“The ultimate goal of any student entering college is graduation, and I am glad to see so many more students earn their degrees,” said Committee on Academics chair Roderick J. McDavis, president at Ohio University. “We continue to encourage schools to reach out to former students and to support current students in reaching this objective.”
Sam Houston athletics' goal of “Building Champions” is a team effort. Academic services, strength & conditioning, and training/medical treatment are an important part of the team. Alumni, friends and fans join the team too by becoming a Bearkat Champion.
Building Champions results in more than winning games, it involves creating well-rounded student-athletes. To do this, academic resources such as the Enterprise Job Skill presentation are necessary to assist them accomplish their goals in the classroom and in life. Support the Bearkat Champions Academic Fund to directly impact the future of over 400 student-athletes at the Bearkat Champions Academic Fund link
