May 17, 2011
Center Valley, Pa. - Patriot League teams and schools once again fared very well in the release of the 2010-11 NCAA Division I Academic Performance Program (APP) Public Recognition Awards on Tuesday, with 73 Patriot League teams and 82 overall squads from full-member Patriot League schools claiming the distinction.
Bucknell and Lafayette led all schools with 16 teams recognized, with all of Lafayette's honorees competing in the Patriot League. Holy Cross had 14 teams receive the distinction, while Colgate had 13 and Lehigh notched 12. Lafayette led the way with the 16 Patriot League teams honored, while Bucknell and Holy Cross each had 13 and Colgate had 12 of its Patriot League-sponsored sports recognized.
Multiple teams were recognized in 21 of the 23 Patriot League sports. Leading the way with five teams honored were the sports of baseball, men's basketball, women's swimming and diving, women's tennis and women's rowing. An additional seven sports had four different teams honored with Public Recognition Awards. A total of 32 men's and 41 women's Patriot League programs were honored.
The Patriot League was second to only the Ivy League for overall teams awarded at full-member institutions. The Big East Conference came in third.
The NCAA is honoring more than 900 Division I sports teams for their high marks academically. The Association announced that 909 teams have earned Public Recognition Awards, based on their most recent multi-year Academic Progress Rates. These awards are given each year to teams scoring in the top 10 percent in each sport with their APRs.
Through its innovative APR, which provides an annual scorecard of academic achievement, the NCAA tracks the classroom performance of student-athletes on every Division I sports team.
NCAA President Mark Emmert said top-performing teams this year posted APR scores ranging from 977 to a perfect 1,000. The number of teams in some sports may exceed 10 percent depending on the number of perfect scores. Full APR scores for all teams, including penalties for low-performing teams, will be released May 24.
By measuring eligibility and retention each semester or quarter, the APR provides a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport, Emmert said. The most recent APRs are multi-year rates based on scores from the 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 academic years.
The 909 teams publicly recognized this year for high achievement represent 14 percent of the 6,385 eligible Division I teams. The list includes 525 women's teams and 384 men's or mixed squads. Last year, 841 teams were recognized.
For the first time with its public recognition awards, the NCAA is separating the sport of football by its bowl and championship subdivisions.
In the six years of the NCAA's academic reform program, 1,992 different teams have received Public Recognition Awards, representing 31 percent of eligible sports teams during that time. Of that total, 260 teams have received Public Recognition Awards each of the six years of the program.
For a full listing of Public Recognition Awards by sport, school, conference or year, go to the NCAA website here
Patriot League Teams Receiving Public Recognition Awards
American (3): Men's Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Volleyball
Bucknell (13): Baseball, Field Hockey, Men's Basketball, Men's Cross Country, Men's Golf, Men's Tennis, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Rowing, Women's Soccer, Women's Tennis, Women's Indoor Track and Field, Women's Outdoor Track and Field, Women's Volleyball
Colgate (12): Men's Basketball, Men's Golf, Men's Lacrosse, Men's Soccer, Men's Indoor Track and Field, Men's Outdoor Track and Field, Women's Cross Country, Women's Rowing, Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Tennis, Women's Indoor Track and Field, Women's Outdoor Track and Field
Holy Cross (13): Baseball, Men's Basketball, Men's Golf, Men's Soccer, Men's Swimming and Diving, Men's Tennis, Women's Basketball, Women's Cross Country, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Tennis, Women's Indoor Track and Field, Women's Outdoor Track and Field
Lafayette (16): Baseball, Men's Cross Country, Men's Golf, Men's Lacrosse, Men's Soccer, Men's Tennis, Men's Indoor Track and Field, Men's Outdoor Track and Field, Women's Basketball, Women's Cross Country, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Soccer, Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Tennis, Women's Indoor Track and Field, Women's Outdoor Track and Field
Lehigh (10): Baseball, Field Hockey, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Women's Cross Country, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Rowing, Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Tennis, Women's Volleyball
Navy (5): Baseball, Men's Basketball, Men's Swimming and Diving, Men's Tennis, Women's Rowing
MIT (1): Women's Rowing
Additional Teams Honored From Full-Member League Institutions
Bucknell (3): Men's Water Polo, Men's Wrestling, Women's Golf
Colgate (1): Men's Ice Hockey
Holy Cross (1): Women's Golf
Lehigh (2): Men's Wrestling, Women's Golf
Navy (3): Football, Men's Gymnastics, Mixed Rifle