Men's Lacrosse Southern Conference

Southern Conference excels in annual APR data

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Eleven Southern Conference sports topped the national average in Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores released by the National Collegiate Athletics Association on Wednesday.

A total of 94 SoCon teams beat the national average for NCAA Division I, while 32 different squads posted a perfect score of 1,000. Furman and Chattanooga saw each of its women’s programs beat the national average. Seven different schools had at least one team post a perfect score, with Chattanooga and Wofford leading the way with eight apiece. The Mocs had four men’s teams and four women’s teams post perfect scores, while the Terriers had five men’s squads and three women’s teams earn 1,000s.

As a league, basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field and wrestling topped the national average on the men’s side.

Football’s APR of 968 was well above the national average of 952, with Mercer posting a 1,000 to lead the way. Men’s golf posted the second-highest margin above the national average, with SoCon schools combining for an average of 987, 11 points higher than the national average of 976. All but one league school exceeded the national average, with Chattanooga and Wofford each posting perfect scores.

Five SoCon men’s cross country teams posted perfect scores in ETSU, Furman, Samford, UNCG and Chattanooga. Furman, UNCG, Chattanooga and Wofford had perfect scores in both indoor and outdoor track and field.

On the women’s side, cross country, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field and volleyball exceeded the national averages for those sports, while basketball and softball equaled theirs.

Furman, Chattanooga and Wofford each had perfect scores in cross country, while ETSU, Chattanooga and Wofford turned in 1,000s in outdoor track and field. Indoor track and field turned in a cumulative APR of 986, eight points better than the national average.

Volleyball’s APR of 989 was seven points higher than the national average, with seven of the league’s nine schools scoring 989 or better.

Volleyball posted the best APR in the conference, followed by men’s golf at 987. Women’s indoor and outdoor track and field each posted a 986, while women’s cross country turned in a 985.

The NCAA’s APR scores are multi-year rates based on scores from the 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years. The APR report is part of the NCAA’s overall Division I academic reform effort.

Last week, 35 SoCon teams were honored with Public Recognition Awards, given to programs ranking in the top 10 percent of APR scores within their respective sports.



ABOUT THE APR
•    The Academic Progress Rate is a real-time measure of eligibility, retention and graduation of student-athletes competing on every Division I sports team, which has been shown to predict later graduation success.
•    The most recent APR scores are based on a multi-year rate that averages scores from the 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years.
•    In order to compete in the 2015-16 postseason, teams must achieve a 930 multi-year APR. NCAA member campuses and conferences in Division I decided to move to the 930 standard because it predicts roughly a 50-percent graduation rate.
•    The goal of academic reform is improvement, not punishment. Not only does academic reform ensure accountability for student-athletes, teams and institutions, but also it provides fairness by considering individual circumstances per team and school.
•    This year marks the ninth year of APR data for most teams. The APR is a multi-year rate based on the most recent four years of data.

-www.SoConSports.com-