Towson University?s 20-sport athletics department soared above the cut scores with excellent grades in the NCAA?s 4th annual Academic Progress Rate released May 6th.
Four of Towson?s programs (football, women?s cross country, indoor and outdoor track) ranked in the top 20 per cent in their sport. None scored below 925 APR which would have resulted in penalties.
The APR measures the eligibility, retention and graduation of student-athletes competing in every sport on each of the NCAA?s 329 Division I colleges and universities. It also serves as a predictor of graduation success.
The scores released today are based on a multi-year rate that averages scores from the 2003-04, 2005-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 academic years.
?The successful APR scores are a tribute to our student-athletes who balance the academic rigors and athletics pursuits so well,? said Mike Hermann, Towson Director of Athletics. ?Towson has a strong history of emphasizing the academic performance of its student-athletes, and I credit our coaches and our academic services staff for creating a culture where scholastic achievement is expected. Plus, we receive great cooperation from the faculty on campus, which is critical when our student-athletes travel as much as is required by Division I standards. It?s a real team effort that results in these positive scores.?
Towson?s multiyear APR averages include (number of teams represented in parentheses): baseball (293) 966, men?s basketball (337) 948, football (239) 965, men?s golf (291) 949, men?s lacrosse (56) 955, men?s soccer (198) 968, men?s swimming (140) 972, women?s basketball (335) 981, women?s cross country (331) 993, field hockey (78) 971, women?s golf (238) 938, gymnastics (64) 984, women?s lacrosse (82) 980, women?s soccer (310) 987, softball (278) 983, women?s swimming (193) 989, women?s tennis (315) 990, women?s indoor track (298) 988, women?s outdoor track (311) 988 and volleyball (321) 979.
