Volleyball | 5/3/2017 3:15:00 PM

STATESBORO – The NCAA released Wednesday its annual recipients of the Public Recognition Awards, which goes to the sports programs with an Academic Progress Rate in the top 10 percent of its respective sport, and the Georgia Southern volleyball program received the distinction for the second straight year.

The APR is a scorecard that tracks classroom performance of Division I sports teams, and it takes into account eligibility and retention of student-athletes over a four-year period. It measures eligibility, graduation and retention each semester or quarter and provides a clear picture of the academic performance for each team in each sport. Teams must meet a certain academic threshold to qualify for the postseason, and they also can face penalties for continued low academic performance. The most recent APRs are multi-year rates based on scores from the 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 academic years.

"This is a great honor for our department and our institution," said director of athletics Tom Kleinlein. "We're constantly talking about 'Rings, Diplomas & Leaders' and Dustin Wood is doing a great job with his program off the court in regards to APR. Being in the top 10 percent nationally is where we want all of our sports to be and hopefully this others will follow Dustin's lead."

"NCAA student-athletes and schools continue to achieve unprecedented levels of academic success," said Mark Emmert, NCAA president. "We commend these programs for their commitment to academic excellence and dedication to preparing student-athletes for life after college."

Multi-year APRs for all Division I sports teams, including the teams receiving public recognition, will be announced on May 10. That announcement also will include APR penalties for low-performing teams, teams subject to postseason ineligibility and head coach APRs.

For the complete NCAA release, click here.