BOSTON - Three men’s basketball squads highlighted the 24 America East programs that received NCAA Public Recognition Awards from the NCAA Wednesday. These teams were honored for posting APR scores in the top 10 percent of their sport based on their most recent multi-year Academic Progress Rate.
The three men’s basketball programs honored (University of New Hampshire, Stony Brook University, University of Vermont) are tied for the third most of any Division I conference, trailing only the Patriot League and ACC.
“Academic achievement is a core pillar of our conference,” said America East Commissioner Amy Huchthausen. “This recognition exemplifies our mission to empower our student-athletes to be successful in all realms of college life, especially in the classroom.”
The 24 America East programs recognized is four more than last year. UNH and Stony Brook, the conference's lone member to have both its basketball programs recognized, led the conference with six teams honored while University of Hartford had four, Vermont and Binghamton University each had three, University of Maine had one and NJIT women's tennis, an associate member for the 2015 season, was honored. Additionally, three programs from America East schools who compete in sports the conference doesn't sponsor were also honored.
Hartford’s men’s indoor and outdoor track & field programs and Maine’s women’s cross country team are three of just 129 teams nationally to earn recognition each the 10 years the program has been in place.
“We congratulate each of the teams and individual student-athletes for their dedication to academic success,” said NCAA President Mark Emmert. “This achievement demonstrates their hard work and the commitment of NCAA member schools to provide students with an opportunity to succeed academically and athletically.”
The APR measures eligibility, graduation and retention each semester or quarter and provides a clear picture of the academic performance for each team in each sport.
APR Public Recognition Awards are given each year to teams scoring in the top 10 percent of all squads in their respective sport, based on their most recent multi-year Academic Progress Rates. The most recent APRs are multi-year rates based on scores from the 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years.
NCAA Public Recognition Awards – America East programs (24)
New Hampshire (6) – men’s basketball, women’s cross country, field hockey, women’s indoor and outdoor track & field, volleyball
Stony Brook (6) – men’s and women’s basketball, men’s cross country, men’s indoor and outdoor track & field, volleyball
Hartford (4) – baseball, men’s cross country, men’s indoor and outdoor track & field
Binghamton (3) – women’s cross country, women’s soccer, women’s indoor track & field
Vermont (3) – men’s basketball, men’s cross country, men’s indoor track & field
Maine (1) – women’s cross country
NJIT women’s tennis
Non America East Sports (3)
Binghamton men’s golf
Hartford men’s tennis
New Hampshire gymnastics