Tennessee’s impressive improvements in the Academic Progress Rate continued during the 2015-16 academic year.
The NCAA released updated numbers on Wednesday, and this is how it works, according to UT’s release: “Every Division I sports team across the nation calculates its Academic Progress Rate each academic year, like a report card. Scholarship student-athletes each semester earn one point for remaining eligible and one point for staying in school or graduating. Data released for this multi-year cohort includes scores from the 2015-16, 2014-15, 2013-14 and 2012-13 academic years.”
The Vols had impressive numbers across the board for this year, but the football multi-year score of 972 especially stood out since that score is up 40 points from three years ago.
“There is much to be proud of in this latest round of APR data,” Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics John Currie said. “Our scores across the board illustrate a focused commitment to exemplary academic performance by our student-athletes, coaches and staff. Our Faculty Athletics Representative, Dr. Don Bruce, and Assistant Provost Dr. Joe Scogin in the Thornton Center play key roles in maintaining that as a priority.
“I’m extremely proud of the effort put forth by our student-athletes in the classroom, and I’m encouraged by the positive academic trends exhibited by the vast majority of our programs over the past several years.”
“We are very excited about our recent APR score and the continued academic success of our student athletes,” Butch Jones added. “The continuation of record-setting academics are further evidence of all the hard work, commitment and the culture that exists. Our significant improvements in the APR are a testament to our student-athletes, Dr. Joe Scogin, the entire Thornton Center and our staff. Our student-athletes and coaches will continue to strive for excellence in the classroom.”
Jones, who will receive a $100,000 bonus for Tennessee’s football score, has clearly done a great job of overseeing a transformation in this area of the program.
Here are other APR highlights released by Tennessee:
- Football recorded its highest multi-year APR with a 972, which is up 16 points from last year, up 27 points from two years ago and up 40 points from three years ago.
- Baseball recorded its highest multi-year APR with a 979, which is up 14 points from last year and 45 points from three years ago, when it was at 934.
- Men’s Cross Country recorded its first-ever perfect score of 1000, which is up 16 points from last year and 51 points from three years ago.
- Women’s Track & Field (now combined) scored a perfect 1000 for the second year in a row, which takes into account both years of the new structure for track APR scores (previously there were separate scores for indoor and outdoor track).
- Men’s Track & Field (also now combined) led all of its SEC peers with a multi-year score of 994.
- Men’s Tennis recorded its first-ever perfect score of 1000. This marked a 28-point increase from two years ago and a nine-point increase from last year.
- Women’s Tennis had its eighth consecutive year with a perfect score of 1000.
