TEMPE, Ariz. – As announced by the NCAA Wednesday, Arizona State University recorded the department's highest four-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) average of 991 over a four-year period (2012-13 through 2015-16). ASU's APR average for all sports is second in the Pac-12 only to Stanford.
ASU's single year overall APR score for 2015-16 is also an all-time high (990).
"Since the institution of the APR program by the NCAA, we've seen continuous improvement culminating in our highest score to date," said Vice President for University Athletics Ray Anderson. "This is a direct result of the hard work of our Office of Student-Athlete Development as well as our coaches, staff, faculty, and sport administrators. We, as a department, are all working together to give our student-athletes the best opportunities to succeed both in competition and in the classroom."
Eleven teams garnered their all-time high four-year APR score, while eight are first in the Pac-12 Conference amongst their peer sport teams.
15 of 20 teams that report APR data earned a 1000 (100 percent) APR single season score for 2015-16, while seven of those had a perfect 1000 for the entire four-year reporting window.
Division I APR data released later today. What is APR? How is it calculated? https://t.co/I8GpZbWxGX pic.twitter.com/seiQEyYJwc
— NCAA Research (@NCAAResearch) May 10, 2017
Per last week's announcement, seven ASU sports earned APR scores in the top-10 percent – men's basketball, men's golf, women's basketball, women's golf, gymnastics, women's tennis, and volleyball – marking the highest number of Arizona State teams recognized by the NCAA as top-10 percent performers in the 12-year history of the APR program.
"Once again, we have reached new heights with one of our primary academic metrics, the NCAA Academic Progress Rate," said Senior Associate Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Development and Performance Jean Boyd. "The average APR for ASU's teams in today's report is 991, an all-time high, and is second in the Pac-12 Conference only to Stanford. With 15 of 20 reporting teams earning a 1000 (or 100%) score for the 2015-16 academic year, a strong statement continues to be made about the comprehensive commitment to the academic excellence of Sun Devil student-athletes."
Since the beginning of APR measurement in 2003-04, ASU's average for all sports increased from 937, now up 54 spots to 991, besting the department's previous high of 986 in 2015.
APR tracks the academic progress of each student-athlete, including eligibility, retention, and graduation in the calculation, and provides a clear picture of the current academic culture for each sport as well as department-wide. In 2014, the NCAA Board of Directors implemented a cut score of 930, below which teams will be penalized with loss of postseason competition.