UK Excels in NCAA 'APR' Report

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 28, 2015) — The NCAA released its Academic Progress Rate report Wednesday, showing that all 22 of the University of Kentucky sports teams surpassed the NCAA cut score. Eighteen of the 22 squads exceeded the national average for public universities in their sports and 19 of the 22 Wildcat teams improved or maintained their scores from a year ago.

The men’s golf and women’s cross country teams led the way with perfect 1,000 scores, followed by women’s indoor track and field, women’s outdoor track and field, volleyball, men’s basketball, and men’s tennis with scores of 995.

The marks are a four-year composite, covering the 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 school years, that measures academic eligibility and retention of scholarship student-athletes. The NCAA cut score for each sport is 930.

The 18 Wildcat teams that exceeded the national average among public universities in their sports included the seven teams listed above, along with women's golf (992), women's tennis (992), rifle (990), men's cross country (990), women's basketball (987), women's soccer (986), softball (985), baseball (983), men's outdoor track (978), men's indoor track (973) and men's soccer (967).

Another highlight of the report was that 14 UK teams notched perfect 1,000 scores for the 2013-14 school year: men’s basketball, women’s cross country, men’s golf, rifle, women’s swimming and diving, women’s tennis, volleyball, women’s basketball, men’s cross country, women’s golf, softball, men’s outdoor track and field, women’s indoor track and field, and women’s outdoor track and field.

Last week, a school-record-tying three UK teams received public recognition for their APR being in the top 10 percent of their sport -- men's golf, women's cross country and men's basketball.

“Combined with strong GPAs and the amount of students graduating each year, our APR scores demonstrate that academics are an essential part of our mission,” UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said. “From coaches to staff to the students themselves, I am proud of the way we have embraced that as a department and that our scores continue to improve and exceed national averages.”

With each team exceeding the NCAA cut score, no Wildcat squads are subject to penalties, such as scholarship reductions or postseason restrictions. None of UK’s 22 teams have incurred a penalty during the 11-year history of the APR.

MEDIA CONTACT: Tony Neely tneely@uky.edu; 859-257-