Men’s and women’s basketball, men’s soccer, and women’s track and field post record multi-year APR scores among nine programs that set or met record marks
TAMPA, JUNE 22, 2022 – University of South Florida Athletics continued to see student-athlete academic success at high levels as 12 programs logged perfect single-year scores when the NCAA released its most recent Academic Progress Rate (APR) data.
All 16 of the Bulls’ evaluated programs logged a multi-year APR score of 962 or better, a baseline that rose for the second straight year and 15 points over the 2019-20 report, to well exceed the NCAA’s minimum APR standard score of 930. Meanwhile, 12 programs posted a multi-year score of 980 or better and nine set or equaled a program record. The NCAA’s 2022 multi-year APR scores comprise data from the previous four academic years.
“The commitment to academic success from our student-athletes, coaches and staff combined with a tremendous Academic Services staff and top-notch academic facilities continues to deliver impressive results in the classroom,” Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly said. “I’m very proud of what our student-athletes continue to accomplish in the classroom as they pursue their academic goals.”
The men’s basketball program under head coach Brian Gregory and the women’s basketball program under head coach Jose Fernandez both posted record multi-year APR scores for the program, with men’s basketball logging a 975 and women’s basketball 985. Head coach Bob Butehorn’s men’s soccer program (992) and head coach Erik Jenkins women’s track and field program (995) also posted record multi-year scores.
Meanwhile, head coach Jolene Shepardson’s volleyball program posted its first perfect (1,000) multi-year APR score since 2011. Among the five USF programs posting perfect multi-year scores were women’s golf, women’s tennis and men’s and women’s cross country. It marked the eighth straight time for head coach Erika Brennan’s golf program and the eighth time overall, first since 2016, for head coach Cristina Moro’s tennis program. It was the first time with a perfect score since 2006 for men’s cross country and first time since 2009 for women’s cross country, with both programs led by Jenkins.
Among the 12 programs to post perfect single-year APR scores for 2020-21 were men’s cross country, men’s golf, men’s soccer, men’s tennis, women’s basketball, women’s cross country, women’s golf, softball, women’s soccer, women’s tennis, women’s track and field and volleyball.
The football program (976) remained above 970 for the third straight year, its longest such streak since APR reporting began. Meanwhile, the softball program (997) led by head coach Ken Eriksen continued a streak of a 990 or better score in all reports since APR reporting began.
USF saw 82 student-athletes earn their degrees during fall and spring commencement ceremonies and more than 500 have earned degrees since 2016-17. USF also earned an 85 percent Graduation Success Rate in reporting last fall, eclipsing 82 percent for the eighth straight year, and had a record five teams earn a perfect 100 percent GSR when the NCAA released the most recent data.
USF Athletics increased its record streak of an annual department grade-point averages over 3.0 to 15 consecutive semesters and more than seven years (since spring of 2015) after the recently completed 2022 spring term. Following back-to-back semesters with a record number of Athletics Honor Roll recipients, including 289 last fall, USF saw 242 student-athletes earn the recognition following the spring semester.
Academic Progress Rate
The 2022 APR report features a four-year compilation of data from the 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21academic years. The APR uses formulas related to student-athlete retention and eligibility to measure the academic performances of all participants who receive grants-in-aid on every team at every NCAA Division I college and university. It provides a real-time look at a team’s academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete, and a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport.
The APR, or Academic Progress Rate, holds institutions accountable for the academic progress of their student-athletes through a team-based metric that accounts for the eligibility and retention of each student-athlete for each academic term.
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.
The APR is based on four years of data, with the most current year’s data added and the oldest year removed to create a four-year (multi-year) rolling rate. Penalties can be applied if an athletic team’s multi-year APR score is below 930.
About USF Athletics
USF Athletics currently sponsors 19 varsity men’s and women’s teams that compete in 11 different sports, 18 at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference, which will expand to 21 teams with the recently announced additions of women’s lacrosse (2023-24) and women’s beach volleyball (2024-25). The Bulls’ athletic program began in 1965 and completed its 55th season in 2020-21. Nearly 450 student-athletes train and compete in the athletic district located on the east end of the campus in Tampa, Fla. The Bulls have claimed 26 American Athletic Conference team titles since joining the conference in 2013, including seven trophies in the 2021 calendar year, and own 139 conference titles in department history. The Bulls have posted a combined annual grade-point average over 3.0 for more than seven straight years and have posted a program-record 15 straight semesters with a combined GPA over 3.0 as of the spring of 2022. USF has had over 500 student-athletes earn their degree since 2016-17. USF has had over 500 student-athletes earn their degree since 2016-17.
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