TERRE HAUTE, Ind.  – Highlighted by multi-year marks of 980 and above for eight different programs, including six sports who earned a perfect score last year, all Indiana State's athletic teams have met and exceeded the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate multi-year standard for the 10th straight time as the NCAA released its latest Division I APR data from the 2018-19 academic year. In fact, the average score of 985 not only exceeds the national average of 983 -- it is tied for the highest in the history of the athletics department with the results from the 2017-18 academic year.

To compete in the 2020-21 postseason, teams must achieve a 930 four-year APR. NCAA members chose the 930 standard because that score predicts, on average, a 50 percent graduation rate for teams at that APR level. Additionally, teams must earn at least a 930 four-year APR to avoid penalties.

Since the Division I membership created the Academic Performance Program 16 years ago, more than 18,750 former student-athletes have earned APR points for their prior teams by returning to college and earning a degree after their eligibility expired. Of those, more than half (9,621) competed in football, baseball or basketball. These students typically do not count in graduation rates because they earn degrees outside the six-year window allowed by both the federal graduation rate and the NCAA's Graduation Success Rate.

During the 2018-19 academic year, six different Sycamore sports programs earned perfect scores of 1,000 including softball, men's and women's cross country, women's golf, volleyball and women's soccer. That total is the third-highest in department history and equals the same amount as last year.

"We are proud of our student-athletes for being successful both on the field and in the classroom," Director of Athletics Sherard Clinkscales said. "The hard work of Joel McMullen, Tonya Sawyer, Michelle Stodden and Brooke Porter have ensured that our APR scores are continually on the rise and in most cases exceed the national average. I want to send a special congratulations to women's golf, men's and women's cross country, softball, volleyball and women's soccer for achieving perfect APR scores in 2018-19. This report is further proof of our dedication to academic success for our student-athletes and our goal to help them earn their degree and become productive members of society after graduation."

Softball's four-year APR of 996 led the way for the Sycamores, including their perfect score of 1,000 from the 2018-19 season. Volleyball posted a score of 995 while women's cross country came in at 993. Women's soccer enjoyed a mark of 991 while women's track's score of 988 and women's golf score of 987 were next best. Men's Cross Country posted a multi-year score of 983, including their perfect mark of 1,000 over the previous academic year while women's swimming and diving came in at a 972. 

Men's Basketball recorded a score of 976 while baseball was right behind at 968. Football's score was a 958 while men's track and field enjoyed a score of 954 and women's basketball earned a 938.
 
All told, seven different programs exceeded the national average of APR scores for their particular sport.
 
The Academic Progress Rate measures the eligibility, retention and graduation of student-athletes competing on every Division I sports team and also serves as a predictor of graduation success. Each year, the NCAA tracks the classroom performance of student-athletes on every Division I team through the annual scorecard of academic achievement, known as APR. The score measures eligibility and retention each semester or quarter and provides a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport. The most recent APRs are multi-year rates based on scores from the 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years.
 
For the first time, a portion of NCAA revenue is being distributed this year to members based on the academic achievement of student-athletes, including APR scores. Each school can earn one academic achievement unit per year if its student-athletes meet at least one of the following requirements:
 
· Earn an overall single-year all-sport Academic Progress Rate of 985 or higher
· Earn an overall all-sport Graduation Success Rate of 90% or higher.
· Earn a federal graduation rate that is at least 13 percentage points higher than the federal graduation rate of the student body at that school.
 
As requested by the Division I Board of Directors, the NCAA will not publicize which schools received the unit. Dollar figures were impacted by the cancellation of the 2020 Division I Men's Basketball Championship.

For more information on the Academic Progress Rate, please visit the NCAA website at www.ncaa.org.