DEKALB, Ill. -- A school record three Northern Illinois University athletic teams have earned the APR Public Recognition Award for 2013-14 announced Wednesday by the NCAA. The Huskie men's tennis, women's cross country and women's gymnastics teams have received the honor, which recognizes teams earning multiyear Academic Progress Rates (APR) in the top 10 percent of their respective sport.

Each year, the NCAA honors selected Division I sports teams by publicly recognizing their latest multiyear APR. These awards highlight teams that demonstrate a commitment to academic progress and retention of student-athletes.

"Congratulations to the student-athletes and coaches of our gymnastics, cross country and men's tennis programs," said NIU Associate Vice-President and Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier.  "It is outstanding to see three different programs honored, the first time in our history we have had this many NIU teams publicly recognized among the nation's best in graduating and retaining student-athletes. The Public Recognition Awards are another indication of the commitment of our department, our staff and our university to our student-athletes and their ongoing success."   

The three honorees marks the largest number for NIU since the award's inception. This is the second consecutive year, and third overall, in which the Huskie gymnastics team has received the recognition. Gymnastics also earned the honor for the 2007-08 academic year.

Just 17 teams in the Mid-American Conference received the APR Public Recognition Award. Bowling Green had the most honored teams with four while NIU was tied for second with Kent State and Western Michigan. The MAC Champion NIU tennis team was the only men's tennis program in the MAC to earn a Public Recognition Award. The Huskie cross country and gymnastics teams were one of just two teams in the MAC honored in their respective sports, both being joined by Kent State. This is the second APR Public Recognition Award for the cross country program which was also honored during the 2011-12 academic year.

Since the inception of the APR Public Recognition Award in the 2004-05 academic year, eight different Huskie teams have earned the award.

The APR measures eligibility, graduation and retention each semester or quarter and provides a clear picture of the academic performance for each team in each sport. The most recent APRs are multi-year rates based on scores from the 2010-11, 2011-2012, 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years. The NCAA will release the full report of multiyear APRs for all Division I sports teams on May 27.