NCAA recognizes four Tribe athletic programs

by Tribe Athletics | May 18, 2011

INDIANAPOLIS -- A report issued by the National Collegiate Athletic Association on Tuesday, May 17, honored four William & Mary athletic squads as recipients of its public recognition award for 2010-11. To receive this recognition, the particular program must have posted an Academic Progress Report (APR) rating that finished within the top 10 percent of the national average for the sport.

Recognized were men's and women's gymnastics, women’s basketball, and field hockey. The men and women’s gymnastic squads have been recognized in each of the previous six years. The Tribe’s total was the most among fulltime members of the Colonial Athletic Association.

The Academic Progress Rate is a measurement of a program’s academic performance based on academic eligibility, retention, and graduation of student-athletes. A rate of 925, out of a highest possible score of 1000, equates to an approximate graduation rate of 60 percent and will be used as the threshold for future program evaluations.

The NCAA first released APR data in 2005, but didn’t start officially recognizing teams until the following year. In the five years since, the College has had 46 teams recognized for academic excellence.