HONOLULU – University of Hawai'i at Manoa Athletics posted its highest Academic Performance Rate (APR) all-sport multiyear score in figures released by the NCAA, Wednesday. UHM's score 980 out of 1,000 was a four-point improvement over the previous high of 976 set last year and was just shy of the national average of 983.

Boosted by a record-tying nine teams with perfect single-year scores of 1,000 during the 2016-17 academic year, 11 of the school's 18 teams posted multiyear scores of 980 or higher. Eight of those teams recorded multiyear rates equal or higher than their sport's respective national averages – baseball (982; national average: 975), women's basketball (991; 982), women's golf (1,000; 990), women's softball (992; 985), women's soccer (1,000; 988), women's tennis (1,000; 989), women's track and field (991; 983), and women's water polo (988; 986).

The nine UHM teams that posted perfect single-year scores were baseball, men's volleyball, women's golf, softball, women's soccer, women's swimming and diving, women's tennis, women's track and field, and women's volleyball. Both women's golf and women's tennis achieved perfect scores for the fifth consecutive year and each were publicly recognized by the NCAA last week for the second straight year – along with women's soccer – after posting scores in the top 10 of their respective sports.

Among the NCAA's high profile sports, UH was fifth among Mountain West schools in football (964); and second in the Big West Conference in both baseball and women's basketball, and sixth in men's basketball (947).

Five UHM teams also attained its program's highest-ever multiyear score – women's basketball, women's golf, softball, women's tennis, and women's water polo. 

The APR is calculated based on the number of student-athletes on scholarship and those who are retained and remain eligible for competition. Teams with a four-year score below 930 or a 950 average over the most recent two years, can be penalized by a loss of scholarships and post-season ban. The multi-year rate includes single-year scores from the past four academic years (2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2016-17) and for the 10^thconsecutive year, no UHM team will be penalized with loss of scholarship.

"The new APR scores are a reflection of our commitment to academic success and I'm pleased that our student-athletes, coaches, faculty and support staff are embracing the challenge," Athletics Director David Matlin said. "We continue to make steady progress toward our academic goals and graduating our student-athletes remains a high priority. The record number of graduates and retention numbers is evidence that we are getting it done in the classroom."

Faculty Athletic Representative David Ericson added, "It is gratifying, to say the least, to see the powerful rise in our overall APR score to a new record. We are definitely on a trajectory to achieve a standing in the upper half of all Division I schools. With nine teams – a record – gaining a perfect 1,000 score, it is a testament to the hard work of our coaches, academic advisors, sports executives, and, especially, our amazing student-athletes on the academic front. Also praiseworthy is the turnaround that we are seeing in men's basketball and the record achievement in women's water polo, women's tennis, women's soccer, softball, women's golf, women's basketball, and baseball. With an overall GPA score of better than 3.0 for the 2016-17 academic year, on behalf of the UHM faculty I congratulate UH Athletics on an outstanding academic performance. Now, we are positioned for even higher achievement in the future."

 

Sport	2016-17 Single-year	Multi-Year	National Average	Notes
Men's Baseball	1,000	982	975	Highest single-year score in program history
Men's Basketball	978	947	967	Single-year +92 from LY; multiyear +10 from LY
Men's Football	954	964	968	Single-year -22 from LY; multiyear -7 from all-time high
Men's Golf	955	981	986	Single-year -45 from LY; multiyear -12 from LY
Men's Swim & Dive	984	971	981	Multiyear score highest in 5 years
Men's Tennis	939	976	982	Single-year -27 from LY
Men's Volleyball	1,000	964	988	First single-year perfect score since 2013-14
Women's Basketball	964	991	982	Multiyear score highest in program history
Women's Beach Volleyball	942	950	988	2nd reporting year; single-year -16 from LY
Women's Cross Country	963	984	989	Multi-year -1 compared to LY
Women's Golf	1,000	1,000	990	5th straight single-year 1,000; 2nd straight multiyear 1,000
Women's Softball	1,000	992	985	Multiyear score highest in program history
Women's Soccer	1,000	1,000	988	Single-year score of 986 or better last 5 years
Women's Swim & Dive	1,000	984	992	Multiyear score +5 from last 2 years
Women's Tennis	1,000	1,000	989	5th straight single-year 1,000; 2nd straight multiyear 1,000
Women's Track & Field	981	991	983	Multiyear score highest since 2009-10 (992)
Women's Volleyball	1,000	978	988	Multiyear score highest since 2010-11 (985)
Women's Water Polo	1,000	988	986	Multiyear score highest in program history

 
 

























Now in its 14^thyear, the NCAA Committee on Academic Performance instituted the APR data requirements beginning in the 2003-04 academic year. The benchmark of 930 projects to an NCAA Graduation Success Rate of approximately 50 percent. The overall goal of measuring APRs is to encourage improved academic performance and help institutional administrators examine admission policies, retention and graduation rates, and improve academic support for student-athletes. Only student-athletes on scholarship are factored into the APR scores.

UH fields 21 intercollegiate sports programs, however, the NCAA's APR only includes 18 as indoor and outdoor track and field are counted as one score and coed and women's sailing are non-NCAA sports. 

More information about the APR is available on the NCAA website (www.ncaa.org).