University Times

Ten of Pitt’s 19 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I sports teams exceeded the national average for academic performance standards in an annual report on academic progress rates (APRs) of NCAA teams. All 19 Pitt Division I teams exceeded APR requirements established by the NCAA.

The APR is a team-based measure that holds Division I schools accountable for student-athletes’ academic progress each term.

According to the NCAA, to calculate a team’s APR, each student-athlete receiving athletically related financial aid earns one retention point for staying in school and one eligibility point for being academically eligible. A team’s total points are divided by points possible and then multiplied by 1,000.

Teams that score below certain thresholds can face consequences such as practice restrictions and restrictions on postseason competition.

The most current APRs represent a four-year average spanning 2008-09 through 2011-12.

Across Division I schools, the average APR is 974, up one point over last year.

APRs for Pitt’s teams ranged from 995 for women’s basketball to 952 for baseball. Nine Pitt teams improved their APRs over last year, while nine teams fell and one held steady.

The APR for Pitt’s women’s basketball team was 995, up 10 points from last year.

Rounding out the Pitt teams above the NCAA’s average APR were:

• Women’s cross country, 993, up 2 points from last year.

• Women’s gymnastics, 990, down 5 points from last year, when its APR was the highest among Pitt’s 19 teams.

• Women’s outdoor track, 988, up 4 points from last year.

• Women’s indoor track, 988, up 3 points.

• Softball, 985, the same as last year.

• Women’s tennis, 983, up 1 point.

• Women’s swimming, 983, down 1 point.

• Men’s soccer, 977, down 6 points.

• Men’s basketball, 975, down 15 points.

Pitt teams that ranked below the NCAA overall average of 974 were:

• Women’s soccer, 968, down 5 points from last year.

• Men’s wrestling, 967, down 3 points.

• Men’s outdoor track, 967, down 1 point.

• Women’s volleyball, 964, up 12 points from last year, when the team had the lowest APR among Pitt’s NCAA teams.

• Men’s cross country, 964, up 2 points.

• Men’s indoor track, 962, down 1 point.

• Football, 962, up 7 points.

• Men’s swimming, 960, up 7 points.

• Baseball, 952, down 4 points.

Under tougher standards that took effect in the 2012-13 year, teams must achieve a 900 multiyear APR or a 930 average over the most recent two years in order to compete in the 2013-14 post-season.

The requirement will rise to a multiyear 930 or a 940 two-year average APR for the 2014-15 post-season.

Based on the latest nationwide APR figures, 18 teams from 10 institutions will be barred from the 2013-14 postseason, compared with 15 teams during 2012-13.

Ineligible in the upcoming year’s post-season in men’s basketball are: Alabama State University, Florida International University, Grambling State University, Mississippi Valley State University, University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff and the University of New Orleans.

Ineligible in men’s football are: Alabama State University, Mississippi Valley State University and Savannah State University.

Ineligible in baseball are Alabama State University and Mississippi Valley State University.

Ineligible in men’s track are the indoor track and outdoor track teams from Norfolk State University and Southern University-Baton Rouge.

Ineligible in women’s sports are the University of New Orleans women’s basketball team and the Alabama State University and Florida A&M University women’s volleyball teams.

A total of 36 teams with APRs below 900 are facing consequences next season, including restrictions on practice and regular season competition and other sanctions.

APRs for NCAA schools can be found at https://web1.ncaa.org/maps/tiwitytilamvmaprRelease.jsp.

—Kimberly K. Barlow