Aug. 18, 2017
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt athletics programs finished the 2016-17 academic year with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.177, the highest overall GPA in the department’s history.
Last year’s GPA marked Vanderbilt athletics’ 11th consecutive year with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. In all, 11 of the Commodores’ 15 athletic programs finished the season with a team GPA of 3.0 or better.
Vanderbilt also shined in Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores for the 2015-16 academic year. Every Division I team calculates an APR based on the eligibility, graduation and retention of each student-athlete. The score can also serve as a predictor of graduation success. For example, a score of 930 equates to a 50 percent graduation rate. Any score below 930 can result in NCAA sanctions or penalties.
The highest achievement that can be earned through the APR program is the Public Recognition Award, which honors programs ranking in the top 10 percent nationally in multiyear APR scores in each sport. In the latest multiyear APR scores released by the NCAA through the 2015-16 academic year, seven of Vanderbilt’s 15 sports (Indoor Track and Outdoor Track are combined for these purposes) received the prestigious Public Recognition Award: football, men’s cross country, men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s tennis, lacrosse and bowling.
Men’s cross country has the distinction of being the only team in the SEC to earn such recognition each year in the 12-year history of the APR program. Meanwhile, Vanderbilt football, men’s golf, women’s golf, men’s tennis and women’s tennis led the SEC in APR, while bowling and lacrosse finished atop the Southland Conference and BIG EAST Conference, respectively.
