Mocs Athletes Continue to Make the Grade With APR Scores

(GoMocs.com) The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga continues to excel in its Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores, according to the information released by the NCAA today. The Mocs already had four programs receive public recognition, and this week’s release of the full scores shows eight of UTC’s 14 teams with perfect single-year marks.

The Mocs had eight programs beat the national average, while all 14 were well above the NCAA minimum of 930. Single-year scores released today were from the 2014-15 academic year, while the four-year scores encompassed the 2011-12 through 2014-15 cohorts.

It is the fifth year in a row at least eight of Chattanooga’s programs had a perfect 1000. The Mocs had 11 teams with a perfect single-year score last season, 12 the year before and a school-record 13 in 2010-11.

“I love the way our student-athletes perform in competition, but I am also extremely proud of their success in the classroom,” stated UTC Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics David Blackburn. “The APR is how the NCAA measures your success in supporting student-athletes as they work towards a degree. These scores emphasize the importance our student-athletes, coaches and support staff put on academics at UTC.”

Men’s cross country was one of four teams with a perfect 1000 multi-year score. The Mocs are coming off a season where they led the NCAA in team GPA for the third time in the last five years.

Men’s tennis had the biggest jump, moving up 13 points to a 967. Football moved up 12 points to a 973, while wrestling posted a nine-point improvement.

“Division I student-athletes learn to balance playing a sport they love with the pursuit of a degree, and we honor their continued success in the classroom,” said NCAA President Mark Emmert. “The APR data prove that students can achieve both academically and athletically.

“Supporting our students as they work toward graduation is a top priority of everyone involved in college athletics.”

Every Division I sports team across the nation calculates its APR each academic year, similar to a report card. Scholarship student-athletes each semester earn one point for remaining eligible and one point for staying in school or graduating.

UTC’s APR Scores
Team 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 Four-Year Avg.
Football 962 975 962 992 973 (+12)
Men’s Basketball 941 980 936 935 949 (+5)
Men’s Golf 1000 1000 1000 968 993 (-7)
Men’s Tennis 950 1000 929 1000 967 (+13)
Men’s Cross Country 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 (–)
Wrestling 967 968 920 1000 964 (+9)
Women’s Basketball 969 1000 1000 1000 991 (–)
Women’s Golf 962 1000 1000 964 982 (-9)
Softball 944 985 1000 979 987 (+4)
Soccer 1000 962 986 988 982 (-2)
Women’s Tennis 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 (–)
Women’s Cross Country 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 (–)
Women’s Track & Field 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 (–)
Volleyball 977 1000 978 1000 989 (–)