Bowling Green State University Athletics

Falcons Ace APR Scores Again, Continue To Climb Higher
May 19, 2020 | General
Bowling Green, Ohio—The Bowling Green State University Athletics Department posted some of its best Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores in history, as released by the NCAA today. Twelve of the department's 17 teams (indoor and outdoor track and field are grouped together) had the same or better APR as a year ago. Eight teams (baseball, men's basketball, men's cross country, men's golf, women's basketball, women's golf, women's soccer and volleyball) equaled or bettered their best APR scores since the rating system began for the 2004-05 season.
All of the Falcons' 18 sports have multi-year APR rates of 947 or above and were comfortably above the NCAA's 930 minimum score to receive scholarship limitations or postseason bans. Baseball, men's cross country, men's golf, women's basketball, women's golf and volleyball have the highest APR scores in the conference for their respective sports.
"With almost half of our programs equaling or setting new record-high APR scores, we celebrate the successes of those teams and the collective efforts made by all of our teams to focus a great deal of effort and energy on the academic success and graduation of our student-athletes," Chet Hesson, Assistant Athletics Director for Academics and Student Services, said. "APR accounts for retention and eligibility/graduation, and with such high scores it's indicative of the fact that BGSU supports the whole student-athlete experience."
BGSU had nine teams post a perfect single-year rate. Those teams are baseball, men's basketball, men's cross country, men's golf, hockey, women's basketball, women's golf, tennis and volleyball. The women's golf team has earned a perfect single-year score for 11 straight years, while men's cross country has done so for 10 straight years. Men's golf now has a stretch of six straight perfect scores and women's basketball has done so for four straight years. Swimming & diving has reached a perfect single-year rate for three consecutive years.
From a multi-year perspective, 11 of BGSU's 18 teams scored 980 or better. Men's cross country, men's golf, women's basketball, women's golf and volleyball all scored a perfect 1,000 and received public recognition last week for rating among the top 10 percent of all programs in their sports for APR. Gymnastics (995), women's soccer (993), swimming & diving (993), baseball (988), softball (986) and women's cross country (983) also posted excellent scores.
In all, 12 of BGSU's 18 sports posted scores equal to or better than a year ago. The largest increases came from men's basketball (improved 35 points to 970), baseball (up 12 points to 988), volleyball (up 11 points to 1,000) and men's soccer (up eight points to 961).
APR scores are based on retention and eligibility of each scholarship student-athlete. Each student-athlete can earn four points per year – one point for first-semester eligibility, one point for first-semester retention, one point for second-semester eligibility, and one point for second-semester retention. The total points earned are then divided by total points possible and the decimal place is dropped for the APR score.
The APR is a real-time measure of eligibility, retention and graduation of student-athletes competing on every NCAA Division I athletics team. The most recent scores are based on a multi-year rate that averages scores from the 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years. The goal of academic reform is improvement, not punishment. Not only does academic reform ensure accountability for student-athletes, teams and institutions, but it also provides fairness by considering individual circumstances per team and school.
BGSU Multi-Year APR Scores
Baseball – 988
Football – 947
Men's Basketball – 970
Men's Cross Country – 1,000
Men's Golf – 1,000
Ice Hockey – 977
Men's Soccer – 961
Softball – 986
Women's Basketball – 1000
Women's Cross Country – 983
Women's Golf – 1,000
Gymnastics – 1,000
Women's Soccer – 992
Swimming/Diving – 997
Tennis – 971
Track and Field – 979
Volleyball – 989
All of the Falcons' 18 sports have multi-year APR rates of 947 or above and were comfortably above the NCAA's 930 minimum score to receive scholarship limitations or postseason bans. Baseball, men's cross country, men's golf, women's basketball, women's golf and volleyball have the highest APR scores in the conference for their respective sports.
"With almost half of our programs equaling or setting new record-high APR scores, we celebrate the successes of those teams and the collective efforts made by all of our teams to focus a great deal of effort and energy on the academic success and graduation of our student-athletes," Chet Hesson, Assistant Athletics Director for Academics and Student Services, said. "APR accounts for retention and eligibility/graduation, and with such high scores it's indicative of the fact that BGSU supports the whole student-athlete experience."
BGSU had nine teams post a perfect single-year rate. Those teams are baseball, men's basketball, men's cross country, men's golf, hockey, women's basketball, women's golf, tennis and volleyball. The women's golf team has earned a perfect single-year score for 11 straight years, while men's cross country has done so for 10 straight years. Men's golf now has a stretch of six straight perfect scores and women's basketball has done so for four straight years. Swimming & diving has reached a perfect single-year rate for three consecutive years.
From a multi-year perspective, 11 of BGSU's 18 teams scored 980 or better. Men's cross country, men's golf, women's basketball, women's golf and volleyball all scored a perfect 1,000 and received public recognition last week for rating among the top 10 percent of all programs in their sports for APR. Gymnastics (995), women's soccer (993), swimming & diving (993), baseball (988), softball (986) and women's cross country (983) also posted excellent scores.
In all, 12 of BGSU's 18 sports posted scores equal to or better than a year ago. The largest increases came from men's basketball (improved 35 points to 970), baseball (up 12 points to 988), volleyball (up 11 points to 1,000) and men's soccer (up eight points to 961).
APR scores are based on retention and eligibility of each scholarship student-athlete. Each student-athlete can earn four points per year – one point for first-semester eligibility, one point for first-semester retention, one point for second-semester eligibility, and one point for second-semester retention. The total points earned are then divided by total points possible and the decimal place is dropped for the APR score.
The APR is a real-time measure of eligibility, retention and graduation of student-athletes competing on every NCAA Division I athletics team. The most recent scores are based on a multi-year rate that averages scores from the 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years. The goal of academic reform is improvement, not punishment. Not only does academic reform ensure accountability for student-athletes, teams and institutions, but it also provides fairness by considering individual circumstances per team and school.
BGSU Multi-Year APR Scores
Baseball – 988
Football – 947
Men's Basketball – 970
Men's Cross Country – 1,000
Men's Golf – 1,000
Ice Hockey – 977
Men's Soccer – 961
Softball – 986
Women's Basketball – 1000
Women's Cross Country – 983
Women's Golf – 1,000
Gymnastics – 1,000
Women's Soccer – 992
Swimming/Diving – 997
Tennis – 971
Track and Field – 979
Volleyball – 989
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