HIGHLIGHTS:
• Five GS teams post or tie highest multi-year scores ever
• Two sports tied for the highest multi-year scores in the Sun Belt in their respective sports
• Five GS sports finished with perfect scores of 1,000 for the 2018-19 academic year
• Nine Georgia Southern programs recorded the same or a better score for the 2018-19 academic year than their multi-year APR score

STATESBORO – The NCAA released the data from its Academic Progress Rate (APR) program on Wednesday, and five Georgia Southern programs posted or tied their highest multi-year scores since the NCAA started using this metric to assess academic performances for each school in each sport. All 17 GS athletic programs made passing grades, as well.

"Comprehensive excellence at Georgia Southern is bookmarked by academic and athletic achievements," director of athletics Jared Benko said. "The academic component of our student-athlete experience is emphasized heavily and I think that reveals itself in the latest APR report. Our Student-Athlete Services staff, led by Reggie Simpkins, continues to work tirelessly to ensure that we are doing things the right way, and the short-term numbers from this year coupled with the long-term numbers, look positive for Georgia Southern Athletics."

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 programs also can face penalties for continued low academic performance. The most recent APRs are multi-year rates based on annual scores from the 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years.

Earning their highest multi-year score in the department were: baseball (981), men's golf (1,000 - tied), men's basketball (981 - tied), women's cross country (1000 - tied) and women's tennis (982 - tied).

The GS men's golf and women's cross country programs recorded multi-year APRs that ranked tied for first in the Sun Belt in their respective sports. Those two programs were also once again recipients of the NCAA's Public Recognition Award, which was announced last week and goes to programs with a multi-year APR in the top 10 percent nationally of all squads in each sport.

Eleven Eagle programs increased or equaled multi-year scores from a year ago – baseball (+9), football (+1), softball (+3), women's golf (+7), women's soccer (+3), women's swimming & diving (+1), women's tennis (+16). Men's basketball and women's track & field both posted an identical score while both men's golf and women's cross country once again posted a perfect 1,000.

Five of 17 GS sports finished with scores of 1,000 for the 2018-19 academic year only, which bodes well for future APR scoring. Those sports were men's golf, women's cross country, women's golf, women's swimming & diving and women's tennis.

In all, nine Georgia Southern programs recorded the same or a better score for the 2018-19 academic year than their multi-year APR score, which, again, bodes well for future APR scoring. Those sports were: baseball (991/981), football (952/949), women's soccer (991/984), women's swimming & diving (1000/986) and women's track & field (978/977). The GS men's golf, women's golf , women's tennis and women's cross country program's 1,000 equaled last year's multi-year score.

For more information on the APR, please check the NCAA website at www.ncaa.org.