The NCAA’s release of its Academic Progress Rates for 2008 show that the University of Missouri continues to lead the Big 12 Conference with regards to the eligibility, retention and graduation of its student-athletes.
The APR was developed by the NCAA in 2004 to measure the academic progress and performance of athletic programs at its member institutions. The University of Missouri led the Big 12 Conference in APR in nine of its 20 sports, with the second highest university having just three. Missouri had 14 of its 20 programs rank among the Big 12’s top two overall. In addition, all-nine Missouri men’s sports ranked above the All-Division I national average, as did 8-of-11 women’s sports, adding to the Tigers’ success with the release of this most recent report.
"We are extremely encouraged and proud of the latest Academic Progress Rate numbers provided by the NCAA," Director of Athletics Mike Alden said. "The academic success and advancement of our student-athletes is one of our three core values here at Mizzou and we certainly salute the classroom efforts of our student-athletes, our coaches and our academic staff."
Overall, Missouri led the Big 12’s APR efforts in nine sports, including men’s golf, men’s swimming and diving, men’s indoor track and field, women’s basketball, women’s cross country, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, women’s swimming and diving and women’s indoor track and field. The Tigers ranked second overall in baseball, men’s basketball, men’s cross country, men’s outdoor track and field and women’s outdoor track and field.
Men’s Basketball increased its APR ranking within the league, improving from third place last year and will have a remarkable seven student-athletes graduate this year. Football finished just three APR points out of the Big 12 lead with its score of 939. Oklahoma and Texas led the Big 12 at 942 and Nebraska was third at 941.
Each of Mizzou’s 20 sports met or exceeded the APR requirements for the 06-07 academic year, as well as the multi-year average. Three sports, which included men’s golf, women’s golf and women’s cross country, recorded perfect scores for the 06-07 academic year and seven sports overall earned public recognition from the NCAA, the other four being women’s basketball, women’s swimming and diving, women’s indoor track and women’s outdoor track.
The multi-year average for the latest Academic Progress Report spans the last four years and institutions are awarded points when a student-athlete remains academically eligible for competition and when he or she either returns to the institution the following semester or graduates. A maximum of two points per student/per semester is awarded.
The NCAA does not penalize an institution for student-athletes who remain academically eligible but did not return to the institution due to circumstances beyond the student and/or institution’s control. Examples of this include student-athletes who leave to pursue professional athletics, suffer from incapacitating physical or mental illness, or experience extreme financial difficulties as the result of a specific event such as a death in the family.
Complete information on the 2008 APR Report can be found at the NCAA’s website, NCAA.org .
Download Mizzou APR scores (PDF)
