Five Siena College athletic programs have been honored by the NCAA with Public Recognition Awards for achieving Academic Progress Rates (APR) in the top-10 percent of their respective sports nationally at the Division I level. Both Siena Tennis programs along with women’s swimming and diving, volleyball and water polo earned recognition for their achievements in the classroom.
The APR is an annual scorecard of academic achievement calculated for all Division I sports nationally. The just released APR report includes multi-year rates based on scores from the 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 academic years. Not only did the five Siena programs honored achieve APR’s in the top-10 percent of their respective sports at the Division I level, but each squad earned a perfect APR score of 1,000.
Division I student athletes learn to balance playing a sport they love with the pursuit of a degree, and we honor their continued success in the classroom, said NCAA President Mark Emmert. The APR data proves that students can achieve both academically and athletically. Supporting our students as they work toward graduation is a top priority of everyone involved in college athletics.
Both Siena Tennis programs are receiving NCAA Public Recognition Awards for the eighth year in a row. Water Polo is being honored for the fourth consecutive year, and volleyball for the second straight report. Meanwhile, women’s swimming and diving earns the prestigious recognition for the first time in program history.
Our student athletes continue to exemplify the commitment and dedication that comes with being a Saint, noted Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator Lori Anctil. They embrace the elite academic reputation of Siena Athletics and continue to embody the values and work ethic that set us apart from our competition. We are proud of them for their continued academic success.
Following the initial announcement of program’s receiving Public Recognition Awards, the NCAA national office released its 2014-15 NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate data reflecting four-year APR scores. Of the 18 Division I athletic programs that Siena College sponsored during the 2014-15 academic year, 13 either matched or exceeded their multi-year rates from the previous report last spring. Siena’s men’s golf program saw the biggest improvement with a 17-point spike, which brought their multi-year rate to 990.
The NCAA’s announcements are part of the overall Division I academic reform effort and are intended to highlight teams that demonstrate a commitment to academic progress and retention of student athletes by achieving the top APRs within their respective sports. The APR provides a real-time look at a team’s academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student athlete on scholarship. The APR accounts for eligibility, retention and graduation and provides a measure of each team’s academic performance.
