Bowling Green State University Athletics

Four Falcon Teams Recognized For APR Excellence
May 16, 2018 | General, Men's Cross Country, Men's Golf, Women's Golf, Gymnastics, Falcon Club, Student-Athlete Services
Indianapolis, Ind. – Bowling Green State University has tied a school record as four teams were recognized today by the NCAA for APR excellence. Men's cross country, men's golf, women's golf and gymnastics earned NCAA Public Recognition for ranking among the top 10 percent in their respective sport in the most recent multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR). The four teams were among 1,284 Division I teams to receive the honor.
"Congratulations to the student-athletes and coaches of BGSU gymnastics, men's cross country, and the men's and women's golf programs," Bob Moosbrugger, Director of Athletics, said. "Their dedication to balancing the rigors of athletic competition and academic success should be applauded. We must also acknowledge the dedicated staff of the student-athlete academic services area who assist and encourage the academic careers of all of our student-athletes."
Throughout the 12-team Mid-American Conference, only 30 teams received NCAA Public Recognition. BGSU was one of three MAC schools with at least four teams honored. Kent State led with five, while Bowling Green and Toledo each had four. All 12 MAC institutions had at least one team recognized this year.
The women's golf program earned NCAA Public Recognition for the sixth consecutive year, while men's cross country was honored for the fifth straight year. Gymnastics has now been named for three straight years, while the men's golf program was honored for the first time in program history.
BGSU had three teams recognized in each of the past two years, but had not had four named since 2013-14. The department also had four teams honored in 2004-05.
"Having four teams be recognized in the top ten percentile in APR is a testament to the drive and success in the classroom of each one of our student-athletes who helped contribute to the very high APR numbers," Chet Hesson, Assistant Athletics Director for Academics and Student Services, said. "Each team should be very proud."
APRs for all Division I teams will be released May 23. The APR is an annual scorecard of academic achievement calculated for all Division I sports teams nationally. Teams must meet a certain academic threshold to qualify for the postseason, and they also can face penalties for continued low academic performance.
The scores required to be in the top ten ranged from 985 to a perfect 1,000.
Brown led all Division I schools with 20 teams earning Public Recognition Awards, followed by Holy Cross with 19 teams and Dartmouth and Villanova, each with 18 teams. By percentage, Villanova led with 82 percent of its squads receiving recognition, followed by Holy Cross and Gonzaga, with 79 and 73 percent, respectively.
The Ivy League was the top-scoring conference in both number of teams and percentage of teams honored, with 108 (or 48.6 percent), followed by the Patriot League with 100 (47.2 percent). The Atlantic Coast Conference ranks third in total number of teams earning Public Recognition Awards with 96, and by percentage of teams, the Big East Conference ranks third with 41.8 percent.
The APR measures eligibility, graduation, and retention each semester or quarter, providing a clear picture of the academic performance for each team in each sport. The most recent APRs are multi-year rates based on scores from the 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2016-17 academic years.
ABOUT THE FALCON CLUB
The Falcon Club Scholarship and Success Fund was created to align the Athletic Department's fundraising priorities with the increasing need for scholarship support. Falcon Club membership gifts allow our programs to recruit and retain the best student-athletes as we compete for championships in the MAC and WCHA, while also preparing our current Falcons for success upon graduation. We hope you will consider helping us change lives by making an investment in the 400+ student-athletes that represent BGSU on the field, in the classroom and in the community. To make a gift please visit https://falconfunded.bgsu.edu/project/5311 or call 419-372-2401 to learn more.
"Congratulations to the student-athletes and coaches of BGSU gymnastics, men's cross country, and the men's and women's golf programs," Bob Moosbrugger, Director of Athletics, said. "Their dedication to balancing the rigors of athletic competition and academic success should be applauded. We must also acknowledge the dedicated staff of the student-athlete academic services area who assist and encourage the academic careers of all of our student-athletes."
Throughout the 12-team Mid-American Conference, only 30 teams received NCAA Public Recognition. BGSU was one of three MAC schools with at least four teams honored. Kent State led with five, while Bowling Green and Toledo each had four. All 12 MAC institutions had at least one team recognized this year.
The women's golf program earned NCAA Public Recognition for the sixth consecutive year, while men's cross country was honored for the fifth straight year. Gymnastics has now been named for three straight years, while the men's golf program was honored for the first time in program history.
BGSU had three teams recognized in each of the past two years, but had not had four named since 2013-14. The department also had four teams honored in 2004-05.
"Having four teams be recognized in the top ten percentile in APR is a testament to the drive and success in the classroom of each one of our student-athletes who helped contribute to the very high APR numbers," Chet Hesson, Assistant Athletics Director for Academics and Student Services, said. "Each team should be very proud."
APRs for all Division I teams will be released May 23. The APR is an annual scorecard of academic achievement calculated for all Division I sports teams nationally. Teams must meet a certain academic threshold to qualify for the postseason, and they also can face penalties for continued low academic performance.
The scores required to be in the top ten ranged from 985 to a perfect 1,000.
Brown led all Division I schools with 20 teams earning Public Recognition Awards, followed by Holy Cross with 19 teams and Dartmouth and Villanova, each with 18 teams. By percentage, Villanova led with 82 percent of its squads receiving recognition, followed by Holy Cross and Gonzaga, with 79 and 73 percent, respectively.
The Ivy League was the top-scoring conference in both number of teams and percentage of teams honored, with 108 (or 48.6 percent), followed by the Patriot League with 100 (47.2 percent). The Atlantic Coast Conference ranks third in total number of teams earning Public Recognition Awards with 96, and by percentage of teams, the Big East Conference ranks third with 41.8 percent.
The APR measures eligibility, graduation, and retention each semester or quarter, providing a clear picture of the academic performance for each team in each sport. The most recent APRs are multi-year rates based on scores from the 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2016-17 academic years.
ABOUT THE FALCON CLUB
The Falcon Club Scholarship and Success Fund was created to align the Athletic Department's fundraising priorities with the increasing need for scholarship support. Falcon Club membership gifts allow our programs to recruit and retain the best student-athletes as we compete for championships in the MAC and WCHA, while also preparing our current Falcons for success upon graduation. We hope you will consider helping us change lives by making an investment in the 400+ student-athletes that represent BGSU on the field, in the classroom and in the community. To make a gift please visit https://falconfunded.bgsu.edu/project/5311 or call 419-372-2401 to learn more.
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