Nine programs post a perfect single-year APR score of 1,000;
Football program logs a 993 single-year score
TAMPA, MAY 8, 2019 – University of South Florida Athletics once again posted strong numbers and saw all 16 of its evaluated programs log a score of 947 or better when the NCAA released its most recent Academic Progress Rate (APR) data Wednesday.
The NCAA’s 2019 multi-year APR scores comprise data from the previous four academic years. All of USF’s evaluated programs exceeded the NCAA’s minimum APR standard score of 930. The women’s golf program led by head coach Erika Brennan posted a perfect score of 1,000 for the sixth straight report and was honored by the NCAA last week with a Public Recognition Award. USF teams have received a total to 30 such honors.
Nine USF teams earned a multi-year APR score of 980 or higher, with men’s golf, softball, women’s golf, women’s tennis and women’s soccer posting scores of 990 or better. The Bulls also saw nine teams post perfect single-year APR scores of 1,000 for the 2017-18 academic year, up from four teams to do so last year. The football team posted a 993 single-year score and its multi-year score of 970 tied for the program’s second-best mark ever.
The American Athletic Conference champion women’s soccer program led by head coach Denise Schilte-Brown posted a record multi-year APR score for the third straight year, equaling its mark of 992 posted last year. Meanwhile, the defending regular season conference champion softball program led by head coach Ken Eriksen and the women’s golf program continued streaks of a 990 or better score in all 14 reports since APR reporting began.
“I am very pleased with our continued strong performance in the APR and the gains we are making, indicated by the nine teams that posted perfect single-year scores,” USF Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly said. “We are building champions on the field, in the classroom and in the community and the latest scores reflect our commitment to success in the classroom. We have a tremendous Academic Services staff and together with the full support of our coaches they provide a strong platform from which our student-athletes can achieve their academic goals.”
USF saw nearly 50 student-athletes earn their degrees during spring commencement ceremonies and more than 250 have earned degrees in the last three years.
The 2019 APR report features a four-year compilation of data from the 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 academic 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.
Academic Progress Rate
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 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. The Bulls’ athletic program began in 1965 and is in its 53rd season in 2018-19. Nearly 500 student-athletes train and compete in the athletic district located on the east end of the campus in Tampa, Fla. The Bulls have claimed 18 American Athletic Conference team titles since joining the conference in 2013, and own 119 conference titles overall. Nine USF programs reached national post-season competition in the 2017-18 season and six were ranked in the Top 25 nationally. The Bulls posted a combined annual grade-point average over 3.0 for the third straight year in 2017-18 and have posted a program record eight straight semesters with a combined GPA over 3.0. USF has had more than 250 student-athletes earn their degree in the last three years.
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– #GoBulls –
Brian Siegrist
Associate AD–Communications
University of South Florida
GoUSFBulls.com
