May 16, 2017
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – For yet another year, Vanderbilt student-athletes have continued to be national leaders in the classroom.
Every Division I team calculates an Academic Progress Rate (APR) each academic year, 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.
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. For the third straight season and the sixth time overall, Vanderbilt football led the conference in this category with a 992 APR score, ahead of Alabama, Auburn and Florida, who tied for second place with a score of 980. The national average for football is 962.
All Vanderbilt teams scored between 976 and 1000 (which is a perfect score), with an overall average of 993.6. That average surpasses the NCAA four-year rate of 981. In all, five Vanderbilt teams (men’s golf, bowling, women’s golf, lacrosse and women’s tennis) earned perfect scores.
Access the NCAA’s searchable APR database here.
