FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (June 14, 2022) – Posting a single-year APR of 990, the Northern Arizona Athletics Department rose to new heights in the annual NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate report released by the NCAA on Tuesday.
In addition to posting the highest single-year APR in the department's history, all 13 of the NAU's Division I programs (men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field are combined into two programs rather than four separate) exceeded the required NCAA standard with ease.
"Once again our student-athletes demonstrate a collective desire to excel," said Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics
Mike Marlow. "Certainly, the leadership of our staff and coaches contributes greatly to such achievements."
The NCAA's current multi-year scores in the latest APR report is based on data submitted by institutions for the 2017-18 through 2020-21. The Lumberjacks' overall department multiyear rate was 986, a significant increase up from the 972 posted by the department in the previous report two years ago (a public report was not released last year).
When comparing to the national averages for their respective sports, several NAU programs were ahead of the curve. Highlighted by women's cross country and volleyball's perfect multi-year score of 1,000, seven teams – including men's basketball, men's cross country, men's tennis, men's track & field and women's track & field – were above the national average. Meanwhile, women's basketball and women's tennis were right at the average.
A total of 11 of NAU's 13 programs saw a multi-year improvement or remained the same from the previous report. Men's basketball experienced the highest jump of 35 points, while the volleyball team – with their first-ever perfect multi-year score of 1,000 – posted a 33-point improvement. Likewise, the women's cross country team posted a perfect multi-year score of 1,000 for the first time in history as well.
Several other programs also recorded their best, or tied their best, multi-year score in history including men's tennis (992), golf (992), men's track & field (991), women's track & field (991), women's basketball (983) and men's basketball (969). Also of note, men's cross country (988) and football (954) matched their best scores since 2014-15 and 2012-13 respectively.
The volleyball team was one of two Big Sky schools with a perfect 1,000 multi-year score within the sport, while women's cross country was one of four Big Sky schools. Men's track & field was the highest in the conference, while men's tennis and women's track & field held the second-highest scores within their sport. Four programs (men's and women's track & field, women's cross country and volleyball) were tops among the four Division I schools in the state.
Along with the multi-year success, NAU produced a department record eight 1,000 single-year scores with men's cross country, men's tennis, women's basketball, women's cross country, golf, swimming & diving, women's track & field and volleyball reaching the perfection during the 2020-21 year. In all, 10 teams matched or improved their single-year scores from the 2018-19 report.
NAU Athletics recently completed the spring 2022 semester in which the department combined for a 3.268 term grade point average. The department's cumulative grade point average at the conclusion of the 2021-22 academic year is 3.36.
The APR has established an essential framework for academic excellence, providing measurable goals to ensure schools are fulfilling their commitment of equipping student-athletes with the tools and resources necessary to achieve academic success. Scholarship student-athletes earn one point for remaining eligible and one point for staying in school or graduating per term. The NCAA reports both single-year and four-year rates, on which penalties for poor academic performance are based.
NAU's multi-year and 2020-21 academic progress rates are below.
