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WSU athletics’ latest APR report again brings good news

In the NCAA’s measurement of athletic academic progress, everyone is well above the minimum needed to avoid penalties.

By Jeff Nusser
NCAA Football: Eastern Washington at Washington State James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

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:

NCAA.com

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
Numbers in italics are not used in current average. Source: NCAA.com

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
These are each year’s four-year rolling average. Source: NCAA.com

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