DEKALB, Ill. – For the third-straight year, three Northern Illinois University teams have received an APR Public Recognition Award as the NCAA announced the 2015-16 honorees on Wednesday (May 3). The NIU men's tennis, women's gymnastics and volleyball teams all recorded multi-year Academic Progress Rates (APR) that ranked in the top 10 percent of programs in their respective sports to earn the recognition. 

The APR is an annual scorecard of academic achievement calculated for all Division I sports teams nationally. The APR measures eligibility, graduation and retention each term to provide a clear picture of the academic performance for each team in every sport. The most recent APRs are multiyear rates based on scores from the 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 academic years.

Over that four-year period, each of the three honored NIU teams all received perfect APR scores of 1000. 

"Congratulations to the student-athletes and coaches of our men's tennis, gymnastics and volleyball programs on earning the Public Recognition Award from the NCAA for their perfect APR scores over the last four years," said NIU Associate Vice-President and Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier. "This is an outstanding accomplishment which highlights their dedication – and the commitment of our entire department – to the success of NIU student-athletes, culminating in graduation." 

The NIU women's gymnastics team, led by head coach Sam Morreale, is receiving the APR Public Recognition Award for the fourth consecutive year, and the fifth time in program history, the most by any program at NIU. The Huskie men's tennis team is garnering the APR Public Recognition Award for the third consecutive season while the reigning Mid-American Conference Champion NIU volleyball team has collected the APR Public Recognition Award for the second time in program history. 

In the 12 years of the APR Public Recognition Award, NIU teams have claimed the honor 20 times, with at least one recognition in 11 of the 12 years. In total, nine different NIU programs have received the APR Public Recognition Award, with the women's gymnastics program achieving the honor a school-best five times. 

NIU's three honored teams were among the 25 from the MAC to earn the APR Public Recognition Award in 2015-16; its three honorees ties NIU for second-best in the conference behind Kent State. 

NIU All-Time APR Public Recognition Awards
2015-16: Men's Tennis, Women's Gymnastics, Volleyball
2014-15: Men's Tennis, Women's Gymnastics, Women's Tennis
2013-14: Men's Tennis, Cross Country, Women's Gymnastics
2012-13: Women's Gymnastics
2011-12: Cross Country
2010-11: Football, Women's Track and Field
2009-10: Football
2007-08: Women's Gymnastics, Volleyball
2006-07: Women's Golf
2005-06: Women's Basketball, Women's Golf
2004-05: Women's Golf