UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Seven Penn State teams have received a Public Recognition Award from the NCAA for earning high scores in the most recent Academic Progress Rate (APR) compilation. All seven teams earned multi-year APR scores in the top 10 percent nationally for their respective sport through the 2013-14 academic year.
The seven Penn State squads recognized by the NCAA are: men's cross-country, women's cross-country, field hockey, women's golf, women’s hockey, men's tennis and wrestling. The NCAA also recognized the Nittany Lion men's cross-country, women's cross-country, field hockey, women's golf and men's tennis teams for their academic success last year.
Penn State's seven honored teams were tied for No. 3 among public institutions that are part of the 65 College Football Playoff automatic qualifying conference institutions and Notre Dame. The Nittany Lions were tied for No. 9 overall among the 65 institutions.
The NCAA has recognized a total of 23 Penn State teams with a Public Recognition Award over the past three years. Penn State has placed fourth or higher in the number of Big Ten Conference teams earning a Public Recognition Award in all 10 years of the program.
The field hockey team, coached by Char Morett, was honored with an NCAA Public Recognition Award for the eighth consecutive year and ninth time in the 10 years of the program. The women’s golf squad, led by Denise St. Pierre, and the women’s cross-country team, coached by John Gondak, each earned their sixth NCAA Public Recognition Award.
Penn State has had at least four teams earn NCAA Public Recognition Awards in each of the 10 years of the program. The aggregate 2013-14 Academic Progress Rate data for all NCAA Division I institutions will be announced later this month.