A perfect 1000 score for the UCF women’s soccer team leads the way in another impressive performance by Knight athletic squads in the latest annual Academic Progress Rate data released today by the NCAA. More than three-quarters of UCF programs improved their single-year APR numbers from a year ago.
The NCAA created the APR in 2004 as part of an academic-reform package to more accurately measure student-athletes’ academic success and improve graduation rates at member institutions. The measurement holds universities accountable for student-athletes’ success in the classroom and their progress toward graduation.
The Knights continue to be among the top schools in the nation in regard to APR.
The UCF women’s soccer program achieved a perfect 1000 multi-year score for the first time after posting single-year 1000 scores each of the last four years. The Knights’ women’s soccer team last week earned an NCAA Public Recognition Awards for ranking in the top 10 percent of national APR scores for that sport.
A record nine UCF programs — women’s cross country, men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s rowing, women’s soccer, softball, men’s tennis, women’s track and field and women’s volleyball — had single-year scores of 1000 for 2018-19 and 10 (also including men’s soccer at 972) produced all-time high numbers for that sport at UCF. The previous UCF high for 1000 scores was eight in NCAA figures announced both in the spring of 2012 and 2018.
Twelve Knight programs — baseball, women’s basketball, women’s cross country, men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s rowing, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, softball, men’s tennis, women’s track and field and women’s volleyball — either improved or equaled their single-year APR score from a year ago. Men’s tennis made the biggest jump from 960 to 1000, while women’s track and field went from 970 to 1000, women’s cross country from 977 to 1000 and women’s rowing from 978 to 1000.
Nine Knight programs — baseball, women’s cross country, women’s rowing, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, softball, men’s tennis, women’s track and field and women’s volleyball — either improved or equaled their multi-year APR score from a year ago. Men’s soccer made the biggest jump from 950 to a program-high 972.
None of UCF’s teams fell below the multi-year threshold where teams could be penalized by the NCAA. This is the 13th consecutive year the Knights have seen each of their teams above that 930 threshold. All UCF programs achieved a multi-year score of at least 963 this year (that has never happened before) — and each of those achieved at least a 941 single-year score.
The Knights continue to be among the top schools in the nation, the state and the American Athletic Conference in regard to APR.
Seven of UCF’s 15 programs (indoor and outdoor track are combined for purposes of APR) are equal to or above the national average for their sport: football, men’s golf, women’s rowing, women’s soccer, softball, women’s track and field and women’s volleyball.
Among AAC programs, women’s soccer ranks first; women’s rowing second; football, softball and women’s volleyball fourth; women’s track and field and men’s soccer fifth, and men’s golf sixth.
Three UCF programs rank No. 1 in the state of Florida among Football Bowl Subdivision programs (UCF, USF, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Florida Atlantic, Florida International)–football, women’s rowing and women’s soccer.
Here is a look at APR multi-year (2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19) and single-year (2018-19) scores for each sport at UCF released today by the NCAA, with last year’s scores in parentheses. The overall national multi-year score was 983 for the third straight year:
Sport Multi-Year Score Single-Year Score
Women’s Soccer 1000 (995) 1000 (1000)
Women’s Volleyball 994 (994) 1000 (1000)
Women’s Rowing 994 (990) 1000 (978)
Softball 994 (991) 1000 (988)
Men’s Golf 991 (992) 1000 (1000)
Women’s Track and Field 989 (983) 1000 (970)
Women’s Cross Country 988 (984) 1000 (977)
Women’s Tennis 984 (1000) 941 (1000)
Football 981 (987) 975 (984)
Women’s Basketball 981 (986) 981 (966)
Men’s Soccer 972 (950) 990 (989)
Men’s Tennis 969 (965) 1000 (960)
Men’s Basketball 965 (969) 941 (960)
Women’s Golf 963 (992) 1000 (1000)
Baseball 963 (962) 981 (963)
The history of UCF 1000 multi-year scores includes eight by women’s tennis (2012-19), five by women’s volleyball (2013-16, 2018) and one each by men’s golf (2018) and women’s soccer (2020).
Over the 15 years the NCAA has tracked APR data (since 2004), here is the history of perfect 1000 scores posted on a single-year basis by UCF programs:
- 12 by women’s tennis (including 11 of the last 12 years)
- 11 by women’s volleyball (10 of the last 11 years)
- 9 by women’s golf (five of the last seven years)
- 8 by men’s golf (seven of the last nine years)
- 7 each by women’s soccer (four in a row and five of the last six years) and women’s cross country
- 6 by softball (four of the last six years)
- 5 by women’s basketball (two of the last five years)
- 4 by women’s rowing (two of the last three years)
- 3 by women’s track and field
- 2 each by men’s basketball and men’s tennis
- 1 each by football and baseball
The release of APR information today by the NCAA includes data through the 2018-19 academic year. The APR score takes into account graduation, retention and eligibility to determine a clear picture of the current academic culture of a program. The NCAA uses multi-year averages to track a program’s academic progress. The multi-year rate includes the previous four years’ worth of data —from 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19. For the first time, a portion of NCAA revenue is being distributed this year to members based on the academic achievement of student-athletes, including APR scores. The APR, created to provide more of a real-time measurement of academic success than graduation rates offer, is a team-based metric in which scholarship student-athletes earn one point each term for remaining eligible and one point for staying in school or graduating.
