May 27, 2015
DeKALB, Ill. - For the ninth consecutive year, every Northern Illinois University team has surpassed the academic progress standards as set forth by the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) through the Academic Progress Rate (APR), according to data released today by the NCAA.
The multi-year APR for each NCAA Division I team is based on the past four years' totals for eligibility and retention of each scholarship student-athlete every year. The 2015 report released Wednesday is based on annual rates from 2010-11 through 2013-14.
Led by a school-record three teams which have a perfect 1,000 multi-year APR (men's tennis, women's cross country, women's gymnastics) and last week received a Public Recognition Award for 2015, 14 of the Huskies' 17 programs improved or equaled their APR scores of a year ago. Baseball (+16), volleyball (+14) and wrestling (+12) made the largest improvements. Overall 11 NIU programs had a perfect APR score for 2013-14, meaning every scholarship student-athlete in those programs remained eligible and returned or graduated.
In addition, 15 Huskie teams posted a multi-year APR above 950 and 11 were above 980. Close behind NIU's three perfect scoring teams were the volleyball (995), men's golf (994) and women's soccer (992) programs, followed by women's golf (987), women's basketball (986), women's outdoor track and field (985), baseball (983) and women's indoor track and field (982).
In order to compete in the 2015-16 postseason, teams must achieve a 930 multi-year APR, which predicts to roughly a 50 percent graduation rate.
The Huskie football program's multi-year APR of 970, up two points from a year ago, led the Mid-American Conference. Football was one of five NIU teams to lead the MAC in its respective sport, along with men's tennis, men's golf, women's cross country and women's gymnastics.
NIU Associate Vice-President and Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier said the latest APR report is another indication that NIU Athletics is focused on student-athlete success as well as competitive excellence.
"Clearly, we are getting it done the right way here at NIU and this latest APR report is further proof," Frazier said. "Outstanding job by our student-athletes, coaches and staff to keep this nine-year streak going, but we're not satisfied."
NIU student-athletes give no sign of letting up on the APR or any academic front as Huskie student-athletes posted a cumulative grade point average of 3.125 following the spring 2015 semester with 13 teams checking in above 3.0. In all, 43 student-athletes recorded a perfect 4.0 GPA this spring and 228 were above a 3.0.
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