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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – For the eighth consecutive year, the University of Arkansas exceeds the benchmark Academic Progress Rate (APR) multiyear rate of 930 in all 19 of its intercollegiate sport programs. All programs eclipsed the benchmark by at least 28 points with 14 programs besting the 930 benchmark by 35 points or more.
Arkansas’ sport programs averaged a rate of 983.5, marking the ninth straight year the program average has exceeded 970. The average is based on the 17 APR scores released for the University of Arkansas. The NCAA combines APR scores for indoor and outdoor track and field.
Last week, a program record seven Razorback programs were recognized with NCAA Public Recognition Awards for ranking among the top 10 percent of teams in their respective sports nationally. Women’s cross country, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, softball, swimming and diving, women’s tennis and volleyball all earned a perfect 1,000 multiyear rate.
The University of Arkansas has now earned a total of 36 public recognition awards since the program began, including 13 in the past two years. Other top scoring programs included men’s tennis (993), men’s golf (985) and soccer (980).
“Thanks to the dedication of our student-athletes, coaches and academic support staff, all 19 of our sports are performing well above the APR multi-year benchmark,” Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Hunter Yurachek said. “Embedded within our program’s APR rates, are countless stories of Razorback student-athletes who continue to demonstrate, both individually and collectively, that academic and athletics success can work in partnership on the path to graduation. We remain committed to helping foster their continued success in support of our mission of building champions and Razorbacks for life.”
Men’s cross country made the biggest gain in APR, increasing its multi-year rate by 33 points from last year. In addition to men’s cross country, baseball (+9), men’s golf (+7), swimming and diving (+5) and women’s track and field (+4) also saw improvements in APR multiyear rates. Seven additional programs maintained their APR multi-year rates.
Arkansas posted a single-year average rate of 979.1 for all 19 programs. Four Razorback programs recorded improvements in single year APR rates from last year. Women’s basketball led the way, improving its single year APR rate by 50 points. Men’s cross country (+42), women’s track and field (+22) and men’s basketball (+2) also registered increases in single year rates. Nine additional programs maintained the same single year APR rates from last year, including eight perfect 1,000 rates.
In 2019-20, a total of 107 Razorback student-athletes were eligible to participate in commencement ceremonies in the fall and the spring. Razorbacks Athletics has averaged more than 100 graduates per year over the past five years.
The APR is based on academic eligibility and retention of student-athletes in each athletic program. This report’s multiyear scores are based on the 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years.
University of Arkansas APR Superlatives
Recorded a program multi-year average of 983.5
Eighth consecutive year that all 19 sport programs exceeded benchmark of 930
Ninth-consecutive year the program multiyear average exceeded 970
All programs exceed benchmark by at least 28 points (958) with 14 programs exceeding the benchmark by 35 points (965) or more
Women’s cross country, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, softball, swimming & diving, women’s tennis and volleyball earned NCAA Public Recognition Awards for ranking in top 10 percent of their respective sports nationally. All seven teams posted a perfect 1,000 multiyear APR rate
Arkansas has now earned a total of 36 Public Recognition Awards, including 13 in the past two years.
Razorback Athletics posted a single-year average rate of 979.1 for all of its sports programs
Ten programs recorded a perfect 1,000 single-year APR rate (men’s cross country, men’s tennis, women’s basketball, women’s cross country, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, softball, swimming and diving, women’s tennis and volleyball)
Total of 107 Razorback student-athletes on target to graduate in 2019-20