Cal Athletics APR Scores Reach Record Highs

BERKELEY – Cal Athletics has reached record levels in its Academic Progress Rates for both single-year and multiyear scores on several fronts, according to the latest data released by the NCAA on Tuesday.
 
Among the all-time highs set by the department were an overall 989 multiyear APR and a 994 rate for the 2018-19 school year. In addition, a record-high 10 teams posted multiyear scores of 1,000 – with each earning NCAA Public Recognition Awards for their efforts – and 16 programs had a 1,000 APR for the most recent academic year to match the school's best-ever total.
 
"Success in the classroom is a priority for every member of our Cal Athletics community, and our student-athletes certainly take pride in their academic results," Director of Athletics Jim Knowlton said. "Such outcomes are not easy to attain, and to do so at the nation's No. 1 public university requires high levels of commitment, resilience and grit. From our coaches and administration through the entire staff at the Athletic Study Center, we have established a culture to support our student-athletes in all that they do that clearly has us on the right trajectory."
 
The APR scores follow results of NCAA Graduation Success Rates released last fall that showed Cal student-athletes at a record-high 85 percent. Cal's GSR has increased four consecutive years and the figure is its best since the NCAA began tabulating results in 1998-99. In addition, a school-record seven teams reached 100 percent, a record-tying 11 teams stood at 90 percent or higher, and 15 of 23 measured programs were at least 85 percent.
 
The APR, created to be a more real-time measurement of academic success than graduation rates, is a team-based metric in which scholarship student-athletes earn one point each team for remaining eligible and one point for staying in school or graduating. Every Division I sports team calculates its Academic Progress Rate each academic year, and the NCAA reports both single-year rates and four-year rates. The most recent multiyear APR rates are based on scores from the 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years.
 
Teams must compile a multi-year score of 930 or higher to avoid penalties, including losing eligibility to compete in NCAA postseason championships. Results are not tabulated for men's crew or rugby, which do compete under the NCAA umbrella.
 
Overall, 16 teams posted APR results of at least 990 and 13 teams established or matched their all-time high scores. Last week, the NCAA announced Public Recognition Awards for teams that ranked among the top 10 percent in their respective sports, all with scores of 1,000 (the highest possible), and those earning the honor were: beach volleyball, men's and women's cross country, women's golf, women's lacrosse, women's soccer, softball, men's and women's tennis, and women's volleyball. The total is three more than the previous record set in 2017 and equaled last year. Cal was one of only six schools from Power 5 Conferences to have at least 10 teams honored.
 
In addition, three other teams either matched or set all-time bests: women's basketball, field hockey and women's track & field. Men's basketball, football, women's gymnastics, men's soccer, women's swimming & diving, and women's water polo were also within 10 points of their all-time highs.
 
For the 2018-19 academic alone, the 16 programs that achieved 1,000 scores were – beach volleyball, men's basketball, men's and women's cross country, field hockey, men's and women's golf, men's and women's gymnastics, women's lacrosse, women's soccer, softball, men's and women's tennis, women's track & field and women's volleyball. Men's tennis has hit the standard 12 years in a row – or every year the NCAA has compiled the data.