UK Scores Well on NCAA Academic Progress Rate

The NCAA Academic Progress Rate has been released. All 22 Wildcat Teams Surpass NCAA Target Score; 13 of 22 Teams Exceed National Average Among Public Universities.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The NCAA released its fourth-annual Academic Progress Rate report on Tuesday, showing that all 22 of the University of Kentucky sports teams surpassed the NCAA target score and that 13 of the 22 squads exceeded the national average for public universities in their sports.

The women’s swimming team led the way for UK with 986 out of a possible 1,000 points, followed by women’s soccer (985), men’s outdoor track (976), women’s outdoor track (976), men’s indoor track (973) and women’s basketball (972). The marks are a four-year composite, covering the 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 school years, that measures academic eligibility and retention of student-athletes. The NCAA target score for each sport is 925.

The 13 Wildcat teams that exceeded the national average among public universities in their sports included baseball (940), men’s basketball (941), women’s basketball (972), men’s cross country (970), football (943), rifle (966), women’s soccer (985), women’s swimming (986), men’s tennis (958), men’s indoor track (973), women’s indoor track (971), men’s outdoor track (976) and women’s outdoor track (976).

“We’re proud of our student-athletes and coaches, who are committed to academic success, and we’re happy to see their hard work pay off,” said Mitch Barnhart, UK Director of Athletics. “One of our core principles is to provide student-athletes with the best possible experience. Academics, obviously, are a key component of that experience.”

Two UK teams posted perfect 1,000 scores for the most recent year surveyed (2006-07), men’s basketball and women’s tennis.

With each team exceeding the NCAA target score, no Wildcat squads are subject to penalties, such as scholarship reductions or postseason restrictions.