Five Georgia Southern University Sports Programs Score Perfect APR

STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia Southern University Athletics announced that five sports programs recorded a perfect 1,000 score in Academic Progress Rate (APR) during the 2007-08 academic year. The information will be released by the NCAA next week. In all, 13 of Georgia Southern’s 15 Division I sport programs that year surpassed the 925 APR benchmark standard.

APR for each institution is calculated as follows: each student-athlete on scholarship (full or partial) in every intercollegiate sport will account for four APR ‘points’ every year - two for the fall semester and two for the spring semester. One point is given for a student-athlete remaining academically eligible and the other point is given for continued enrollment in the respective institution. Each student-athlete can earn a maximum of four points each year.

Dividing the number of points earned by its student-athletes by the points possible and then multiplying by 1,000 will calculate a team's APR. The multi-year number is the average APR score of each sport from the past four academic years: 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Golf, Women’s Basketball, Softball and Men’s and Women’s Tennis all scored a perfect single-year 1,000.

Two sports took a contemporaneous penalty based on their team multi-year APR score. Football continues to improve on its multi-year rate, up eight points to 913 but was still limited to awarding 59.98 total athletic scholarships during the 2007-08 academic year (out of 63 possible). Men’s Basketball’s APR is a 908 and that program was limited to awarding 12 (of 13) scholarships.

APR progress continues to be made by the Eagles. Golf, one program that suffered a penalty the previous year, turned in a perfect 1,000 and did not suffer a scholarship penalty with a 919 multi-year rate. Two years ago Baseball suffered a minor loss (0.2 scholarships) but continues to make improvements, and now is at a 941 multi-year score.

“I am very proud of the efforts of our coaches and student-athletes to address the NCAA’s APR guidelines. Positive progress has been made but we must remain diligent in all our academic endeavors,” said Director of Athletics Sam Baker. “We have worked to improve the academic resources available to our student-athletes and the results are showing. Our goal remains to provide our student-athletes with the ability to win a championship ring and earn a diploma.”

Keith Roughton, Associate Athletics Director in charge of Student-Athlete Services and NCAA Compliance, noted the improvements made across the board.

“I think our current year APR scores show the continued improvement all of our sport programs are making. Two of our programs (Golf and Baseball) that suffered a penalty in previous years have done a great job in raising their numbers. Coach (Rodney) Hennon and his staff have worked very hard over the past few years to improve their multi-year rate.” said Roughton. “Under Coach (Chris) Hatcher’s leadership football continues to make improvements in its multi-year rate, and if they continue to make yearly improvements will be above the benchmark in the very near future. I am proud of the way our coaches and student-athletes are taking advantage of the resources allocated to them. We are all encouraged by the direction our sports are moving.”

2007-08 APR (MULTI-YEAR APR)
Women’s Basketball, 1000 (959)
Baseball, 943 (941)
Women’s Soccer, 978 (980)
Indoor Track and Field, 946 (958)
Men’s Soccer, 949 (932)
Softball, 1000 (939)
Men’s Tennis, 1000 (966)
Cross County, 885 (915*)
Outdoor Track and Field, 968 (963)
Golf, 1000 (919)
Swimming/Diving, 974 (962)
Football, 918 (913)
Women’s Tennis, 1000 (966)
Men’s Basketball, 940 (908)
Volleyball, 955 (953)

*(no penalty due to squad size adjustment)

Category: Athletics

Published on Thursday, 30 April 2009 11:09