Penn State student-athletes continue to excel in the classroom and surpass Division I national averages, according to Academic Progress Rate (APR) data released today (April 20) by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The NCAA reported that 13 Penn State teams earned perfect APR scores of 1,000 in 2014-15, up from 10 the previous year, and four Penn State squads earned perfect multi-year APR scores.
Five 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, including the Nittany Lions’ two most recent NCAA championship squads. The NCAA's APR is designed to track the academic progress of each student-athlete on scholarship at a particular institution. It accounts for eligibility, retention and graduation each term to provide a clear measure of each team's academic performance.
Penn State’s lengthy national championship history dates to 1921, including two titles this year, which have boosted the Nittany Lions to the forefront nationally in NCAA title success. Starting with the men’s and women’s fencing team winning its 10th national crown in March 2007, Penn State leads the nation with 18 NCAA championships over the past nine years. This past weekend, Coach Cael Sanderson directed Penn State to its fifth NCAA wrestling championship in the past six years with a dominating performance in Madison Square Garden.
Penn State fans flocking to events this fall have boosted the Nittany Lions into the nation’s premier program in top 10 home attendance averages. Through the completion of the fall sports’ regular season and the first two months of the hockey campaign, fans have responded by boosting Penn State into the top 10 in average home attendance in six sports, the most in the nation, according to the NCAA.
