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The NCAA released it’s latest Academic Progress Rate data today, and the news was excellent for WSU, as all of its athletic programs posted scores well above the mandated threshold of 930.
Football posted a score of 961 for the 2015-16 academic year, leading to a four-year rolling average of 964; the Cougs have been consistent under Mike Leach, posting scores of between 960 and 963 in four of the five years, with a 973 thrown in for 2013-14.
Men’s basketball, meanwhile, survived last season’s exodus of players, posting a stellar single-year score of 981 that helped boost the four-year average to 953, its second consecutive increase from a dangerously low average of 938 just a couple of years ago.
Women’s basketball, men’s golf, volleyball and women’s golf each posted perfect single-year scores of 1000. It was the fourth consecutive 1000 for the women’s golfers, leading to WSU’s only perfect four-year average.
A team must post a four-year rolling average of at least 930 in order to avoid sanctions from the NCAA, which could include a postseason ban or loss of scholarships, and none of WSU’s programs appear to be in any immediate danger of seeing their four-year average dip into a danger area. The only sports that posted low-ish scores this year — men’s basketball, football and men’s cross country — will see low or low-ish scores drop off next year, which should help the average, barring an unexpectedly low score from this academic year.
It’s important to note that APR doesn’t measure academic achievement; rather, it measures retention and progress toward graduation for the athletes in each program. Every scholarship athlete has the potential to pick up four points for their team — one point each semester for finishing the term and one point each semester for being eligible to play during that term.
The NCAA came up with this handy little graphic to help you understand how it works:
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And lastly, if you’re interested, here’s how WSU has performed historically on the APR:
WSU Year-by-Year APR Scores
Sport | Current Avg. (2014-17) | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sport | Current Avg. (2014-17) | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 |
Baseball | 977 | 1000 | 946 | 980 | 981 | 980 | 946 | 972 | 973 | 984 | 957 | 962 | 945 | 894 | 853 |
Men's Basketball | 967 | 980 | 981 | 944 | 963 | 926 | 962 | 900 | 963 | 1000 | 984 | 942 | 923 | 938 | 813 |
Women's Basketball | 986 | 1000 | 1000 | 948 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 917 | 957 | 893 | 968 | 933 | 984 |
Football | 969 | 978 | 961 | 962 | 973 | 963 | 960 | 910 | 944 | 953 | 926 | 874 | 918 | 955 | 916 |
Men's Golf | 986 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 946 | 1000 | 946 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 917 | 952 | 1000 | 917 |
Women's Golf | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 929 | 1000 | 1000 | 929 | 1000 | 1000 | 972 | 1000 | 1000 |
Rowing | 988 | 1000 | 961 | 991 | 1000 | 1000 | 981 | 984 | 952 | 982 | 971 | 971 | 961 | 985 | 982 |
Soccer | 985 | 982 | 981 | 989 | 990 | 967 | 989 | 969 | 961 | 1000 | 988 | 920 | 1000 | 971 | 1000 |
Swimming | 984 | 987 | 977 | 986 | 988 | 1000 | 981 | 956 | 955 | 985 | 984 | 100 | 100 | 987 | 946 |
Tennis | 969 | 939 | 984 | 1000 | 931 | 1000 | 1000 | 969 | 929 | 1000 | 1000 | 938 | 967 | 893 | 1000 |
Men's Track | 965 | 953 | 976 | 958 | 975 | 950 | 982 | 931 | 962 | 991 | 984 | 985 | 978 | 932 | 952 |
Men's Cross Country | 973 | 1000 | 955 | 926 | 1000 | 1000 | 967 | 917 | 938 | 964 | 957 | 969 | 1000 | 950 | 1000 |
Women's Track | 987 | 975 | 980 | 1000 | 993 | 992 | 960 | 968 | 991 | 975 | 984 | 1000 | 984 | 991 | 991 |
Women's Cross Country | 962 | 931 | 944 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 969 | 1000 | 971 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 980 | 1000 |
Volleyball | 989 | 1000 | 1000 | 956 | 1000 | 1000 | 939 | 837 | 935 | 957 | 1000 | 957 | 975 | 833 | 909 |
WSU Year-By-Year APR Averages
Sport | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sport | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 |
Baseball | 977 | 972 | 971 | 969 | 968 | 969 | 971 | 968 | 961 | 944 | 921 | 904 | 873 | |
Men's Basketball | 967 | 953 | 949 | 938 | 938 | 957 | 961 | 971 | 957 | 946 | 905 | 892 | 875 | |
Women's Basketball | 986 | 986 | 986 | 1000 | 1000 | 977 | 966 | 938 | 933 | 938 | 946 | 962 | 959 | |
Football | 969 | 964 | 965 | 951 | 944 | 942 | 933 | 925 | 918 | 918 | 916 | 930 | 935 | |
Men's Golf | 986 | 987 | 974 | 973 | 986 | 985 | 1000 | 977 | 964 | 972 | 953 | 965 | 958 | |
Women's Golf | 1000 | 1000 | 982 | 981 | 981 | 959 | 977 | 979 | 973 | 993 | 993 | 990 | 1000 | |
Rowing | 988 | 989 | 993 | 991 | 978 | 974 | 972 | 969 | 971 | 970 | 972 | 973 | 984 | |
Soccer | 985 | 982 | 984 | 979 | 971 | 979 | 978 | 965 | 975 | 968 | 971 | 986 | 985 | |
Swimming | 984 | 987 | 989 | 981 | 972 | 968 | 969 | 982 | 982 | 993 | 983 | 977 | 967 | |
Tennis | 969 | 984 | 984 | 975 | 975 | 976 | 976 | 968 | 977 | 952 | 952 | 957 | 950 | |
Men's Track | 965 | 965 | 966 | 960 | 957 | 967 | 968 | 981 | 984 | 973 | 963 | 956 | 942 | |
Men's Cross Country | 973 | 968 | 973 | 967 | 953 | 944 | 944 | 957 | 971 | 967 | 979 | 982 | 974 | |
Women's Track | 987 | 991 | 986 | 979 | 978 | 973 | 979 | 988 | 986 | 990 | 992 | 989 | 991 | |
Women's Cross Country | 962 | 979 | 1000 | 990 | 991 | 984 | 986 | 994 | 994 | 995 | 994 | 992 | 988 | |
Volleyball | 989 | 994 | 973 | 945 | 929 | 918 | 931 | 960 | 971 | 946 | 923 | 910 | 875 |