Top academic squads earn Public Recognition Awards

The NCAA recognized nearly 1,400 Division I programs from 326 schools for academic excellence after they scored in the top 10% of their sports in the most recent Academic Progress Rate results.

The APR is an annual scorecard of academic achievement calculated for all Division I sports teams.

Teams earning Public Recognition Awards increased to 1,380, up by 52 from the previous academic year, largely due to an increase in squads with perfect scores. APRs for programs in the top 10% ranged from 987 to a perfect 1,000. The number of teams posting perfect scores increased to 1,266, an increase of 52 teams from last year.

“The number of teams earning Public Recognition Awards — including those earning perfect scores —  has increased again, demonstrating the commitment member schools and college athletes have made to high academic achievement,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said. “Congratulations to these teams for their continued academic success.”

Of the teams recognized, 499 competed in men’s or mixed sports and 881 competed in women’s sports. Every women’s team earning a Public Recognition Award this year also earned a perfect score.

“I am especially proud of the success in women’s sports,” Emmert said. “The achievement in women’s athletics is so high that scoring in the top 10% of your sport now requires a perfect score.”

Of the teams earning Public Recognition Awards, 10 also won national championships last year: Clemson football (Football Bowl Subdivision); Colorado women’s cross country; Columbia men’s and women’s fencing; Oklahoma women’s gymnastics; Stanford men’s golf and women’s water polo; Stephen F. Austin bowling; Texas men’s tennis; and UCLA beach volleyball.

Columbia led all Division I schools with a total of 22 squads earning Public Recognition Awards, followed by Colgate with 19, and Dartmouth and Yale with 17 each. By percentage, Columbia also led by percentage, with 92% of its squads earning recognition, followed again by Colgate at 86% and Northwestern with 74%.

The Ivy League was the top-scoring conference in both number of teams and percentage of teams honored, with 113 teams and 51%. The Patriot League ranked second in total number of teams earning Public Recognition Awards with 95, followed by the Big Ten with 84. By percentage of teams, the Patriot League was second again with 45%, and the Big East Conference was third with 39%.

APR scores for all Division I teams will be released May 19. The APR measures eligibility, graduation and retention each semester or academic term and provides a clear picture of the academic performance for each team in every sport. All teams must meet an academic threshold of 930 to qualify for the postseason and can face penalties for continued low academic performance.

The most recent APRs are multiyear rates based on scores from the 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years.

Below is the list of the 62 teams that have earned Public Recognition Awards in all 15 years of the program.