10 programs earn NCAA APR recognition

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Ten Bryant University varsity programs were honored by the NCAA as Public Recognition Award winners, presented each year to teams scoring in the top 10 percent of their sport's respective Academic Progress Rates (APRs).

Bulldog teams make up a quarter of the Northeast Conference's 40 total honorees, with league winners coming out of 22 sports from 10 different institutions. Bryant also boasts the conference's only recognition in field hockey, softball, women's soccer and women's swimming and diving. Other Bulldog programs honored include men's cross country, golf, men's tennis, men's indoor and outdoor track & field and women's volleyball. The NEC's 40 Public Recognitions set a new league record.

Each year, the NCAA tracks the classroom performance of student-athletes on every Division I team through the annual scorecard of academic achievement, known as APR. The score measures eligibility and retention each semester and provides a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport. The most recent APRs are multi-year rates based on scores from the 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years.

The NCAA honors selected Division I sports teams by publicly recognizing their latest multi-year APR. The announcement is part of the overall Division I academic reform effort and is intended to highlight teams that demonstrate a commitment to academic progress and retention of student-athletes by achieving the top APRs within their respective sports.

The 954 teams publicly recognized this year for high achievement include 560 women's teams and 394 men's or mixed squads. A total of 263 schools, out of 347 Division I colleges and universities, placed at least one team on the top APR list. Top-performing teams this year posted APR scores ranging from 978 to a perfect 1,000.

Bryant University's NCAA Public Recognition Award Winners
Field Hockey
Men's Cross Country
Men's Golf
Men's Tennis
Men's Indoor Track & Field
Men's Outdoor Track & Field
Softball
Women's Soccer
Women's Swimming
Women's Volleyball