Georgia Tech Sports Teams Score High In Academic Progress Report

The recently released Academic Progress Report (APR) by the NCAA, indicated that Georgia Tech's APR scores have improved once again. All teams exceeded the NCAA requirement for postseason eligibility of a 930 APR.

This year 12 of the 17 Yellow Jacket sports teams either improved their multi-year APR or saw its score remain the same, compared to last year's report when it was 10.

Three Tech teams - men's golf, women's cross country, and men's tennis - posted perfect multi-year scores of 1,000. All three were recognized by the NCAA for producing APR scores that ranked in the top 10 percent nationally within their respective sport.

The APR numbers released are based on a multi-year rate that averages scores from the 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years. APR is calculated by assessing each scholarship student-athlete's retention and eligibility each semester. To receive a perfect score of 1,000 each team's student-athletes must meet the NCAA retention and eligibility guidelines.

"We are pleased to once again see strong scores and improvements in our Academic Progress Rates," athletic director Dan Radakovich said in a statement. "It is a testament to the quality and efforts of our student-athletes, our academic support staff, and coaches. Over half of all our teams had a perfect APR year in 2010-11, and all teams exceeded the NCAA benchmark of 930. These scores represent strong progress to the ultimate goal of graduation and earning a Georgia Tech degree. I am proud to work with such a great group of young men and women."

More Georgia Tech related information from the release of the APR:

• Men's basketball scored a perfect 2010-11 team single year APR score of 1000. A first for this sport, and a great testament to our basketball players and our academic support staff during that school year and coaching change.

• Bruce Heppler's golf team has produced a perfect score of 1,000 every year since the APR originated in 2003-04.

• The Yellow Jacket women's cross country team earned a perfect multi-year score of 1,000 for the third straight year.

• Kenny Thorne's men's tennis team earned a perfect multi-year score of 1,000 as a result of four consecutive perfect individual yearly scores.

• More than half of Tech's teams had a perfect score of 1,000 for the 2010-11 year.

• The Tech football team produced its highest APR to date with a score of 974. The previous high was 967 from the 2008-09 APR score.

"I want to congratulate the coaches, academic staff and especially our student-athletes for the outstanding work this year," Radakovich said. "We look forward to continued improvement in the years to come."