Athletics: Ragin’ Cajuns Student-Athletes Continue To Thrive In Latest APR Report

Nine sports posted four-year averages of 960 or greater; six sports exceeded national four-year average

LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns student-athletes continue to thrive in the classroom as all 16 Division I varsity programs exceeded the required cutoff point of 930 as the annual Academic Progress Rate (APR) was released on Wednesday by the NCAA.
 
Nine athletic programs scored above a 960 on the multi-year average, with the men’s cross country team honored as one of 14 programs in both the state of Louisiana and the Sun Belt Conference in recording a perfect score of 1,000.
 
"We are extremely proud of the hard work that has been done, and the outstanding accomplishments that our student-athletes have achieved, both on the field and in the classroom," Director of Athletics Scott Farmer said. "They continue to be great ambassadors for our University and community, and will be highly successful in their respective endeavors after earning their degree.
 
"This is also a testament to the members of our coaching staff who have done a tremendous job in identifying and recruiting outstanding student-athletes, along with the work of our entire academic staff in keeping them on their respective path towards earning a degree."
 
Men’s golf (992), women’s cross country (991), women’s tennis (991), women’s track and field (985), softball (982), women’s soccer (974)men’s tennis (971) and volleyball (962) all exceeded the 960 mark. Six sports – men’s golf, men’s cross country, softball, women’s cross country, women’s track and field, and women’s tennis – all exceeded the national Four-Year Average APR score for their respective program.
 
Every Division I sports team across the nation calculates its APR each academic year, similar to a report card. Scholarship student-athletes each semester earn one point for remaining eligible and one point for staying in school or graduating.
 
Division I student-athletes continue to make gains in the classroom, again earning all-time high results in the most recent measurement of the Academic Progress Rate.
 
The 2014-15 overall four-year rate is 979, up one point from the previous year’s mark. Three-point improvements in men’s and women’s basketball and football all contributed to that increase. Men’s basketball teams earned a 964 (up from 961), women’s basketball teams earned a 978 (up from 975) and football teams earned a 959 (up from 956).
 
Also notable was the steady increase in scores earned by teams at limited-resource schools and historically black colleges and universities. The single-year APR for limited-resource schools increased from 945 to 966 in the last five years, while HBCUs saw an increase from 918 to 956 during that time.
 
LOUISIANA RAGIN’ CAJUNS 2014-15 APR MULTI-YEAR AVERAGE SCORES
Baseball – 959
Football – 950
Men’s Basketball – 956
Men’s Cross Country – 1,000
Men’s Golf – 992
Men’s Tennis – 971
Men’s Track and Field – 959
Softball – 982
Women’s Basketball – 945
Women’s Cross Country – 991
Women’s Soccer – 974
Women’s Tennis – 991
Women’s Track and Field – 985
Women’s Volleyball – 962