Tigers lead the way in Academic Progress Rates
The 2008-09 season has been one of the most successful in recent history for Mizzou on the field, with championships in football (Big 12 North), men’s basketball (Big 12 Tournament), women’s soccer (Big 12 Tournament) and softball (Big 12 Tournament).
Add another title to the list. The NCAA released its Academic Progress Rates for all sports, and the Tigers have become the unofficial league champion yet again. Five of Mizzou’s 20 sports led the Big 12 in APR — a tie with Oklahoma State for most in the league. Fourteen of Missouri’s its 20 programs ranked among the Big 12’s top three overall. Additionally, all but two of MU’s men’s and women’s sports ranked above the All-Division I national average.
The five leaders for MU were women’s golf (APR of 1,000), women’s basketball (995), women’s swimming and diving (993), women’s indoor track and field (989) and men’s swimming and diving (975). The highest APR score possible is 1,000.
Here’s the list of schools with the most APR leaders in their respective sports:
T1. Mizzou (5)
T1. Oklahoma State (5)
3. Nebraska (4)
T4. Kansas (3)
T4. Baylor (3)
T6. Iowa State (2)
T6. Texas (2)
8. Oklahoma (1)
The APR was developed by the NCAA in 2004 to measure the academic progress and performance of students in athletic programs at member institutions. The multi-year average for the latest Academic Progress Rate Report covers the last four years, and institutions are awarded points when a student-athlete remains academically eligible for competition and when he/she either returns to the institution the following semester or graduates. A maximum of two points per student, per semester is awarded.
“We are very encouraged and proud of the latest results,” Director of Athletics Mike Alden said. “The academic success and progress toward graduation of our student-athletes supports our core value of academic integrity here at Mizzou. We salute the classroom efforts of our student-athletes, our coaches and our academic staff.”
In addition to the five Big 12 leaders, the Tigers ranked second overall in men’s cross country, football, women’s gymnastics and women’s outdoor track and field, while the Tiger baseball, men’s golf, men’s indoor track and field, women’s cross country and softball teams each ranked third. The football program finished just one point out of the Big 12 lead with its score of 951.
The NCAA does not penalize institutions for student-athletes who remain academically eligible but did not return to the institution due to circumstances beyond the student’s and/or institution’s control. Examples include student-athletes who leave to pursue professional athletics, suffer from incapacitating physical or mental illness, or experience extreme financial difficulties as the result of a specific event, such as a death in the family.
Complete information on the APR Report can be found at the NCAA’s Web site, www.ncaa.org.
Mizzou Men’s Sports
Team (Big 12 Rank) — APR — All-Division I Average
Baseball (3) — 961 — 946
Basketball (5) — 959 — 933
Cross Country (2) —995 —964
Football (2) — 951 — 939
Golf (3) — 988 —963
Swimming and Diving (1) —975 —967
Track: Indoor (3) — 957 —953
Track: Outdoor (4) — 957 —954
Wrestling (4) —957 —948
Mizzou Women’s Sports
Team (Big 12 Rank) — APR — All-Division I Average
Basketball (1) —995 — 962
Cross Country (3) —995 —971
Golf (1) —1000 —976
Gymnastics (2) —991 —983
Soccer (7) —971 —973
Softball (3) —981 —968
Swimming & Diving (1) —993 —979
Tennis (6) —971 —974
Track: Indoor (1) —989 —965
Track: Outdoor (2) — 989 — 966
Volleyball (6) —973 —97
This is very impressive and makes me proud to be a Mizzou alum.
Rusty Martin | May 2, 2009
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