The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced Wednesday morning that more than 1,000 Division I sports teams received Academic Progress Rate (APR) Public Recognition Awards, including three Seattle University squads.
The Seattle University men’s cross country team, men’s indoor track and field team, and men’s outdoor track and field team are among the 1,049 teams across the country recognized for high academic achievement. In order to place in the top 10 percent of their sport, the APRs of the award winners needed to range from 980 to 1,000, with the majority of teams earning the perfect score over the four-year span encompassing the 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, and 2012-13 academic years.
The Seattle U men’s cross country team has received the Public Recognition Award every year it has been eligible since the school started the reclassification process towards Division I membership. The men’s indoor track and field team and outdoor track and field team are receiving the honor for the first time, and all three squads are the only ones within the 2012-13 or 2013-14 configurations of the Western Athletic Conference in their respective sports to earn the awards.
“Our program places a high focus on academics, so it’s great to see the team earn such a great honor. They work hard to balance the demands of academics and athletics and do so well. This is a testament to their focus, drive, and commitment to excellence in all areas,” Seattle U head cross country and track and field coach Trisha Steidl said.
Among both last year’s and this year’s memberships of the Western Athletic Conference, Seattle U tied the University of Denver for most teams honored with three each. The Redhawks were also competitive among their peer institutions, tying Denver, Loyola Marymount University, and the University of Portland with three teams apiece, just one behind Creighton University and two behind Xavier University.
The Academic Progress Rate (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. Teams must meet a certain academic threshold to qualify for the postseason, and they also can face penalties for continued low academic performance. APRs for all Division I teams will be released next Wednesday, May 14.