May 3, 2007
COLUMBIA, Mo. -
The NCAA's release of its Academic Progress Rates for 2007 show that the University of Missouri continues to pace the Big 12 Conference with regards to eligibility, retention and graduation of its student-athletes.
The APR was developed by the NCAA in 2004 to measure the academic progress and performance of athletic programs at its member institutions. The University of Missouri led the Big 12 Conference in APR in nine of its 20 sports, with rival Kansas ranking second with four. Missouri had 14 of its 20 programs rank among the Big 12's top three overall.
"We are extremely pleased with the latest Academic Progress Reports issued by the NCAA and believe it reflects the core values we have instilled at the University of Missouri," Director of Athletics Mike Alden said. "The academic integrity and dedication our student-athletes display each day makes this type of academic success a reality."
Overall, Missouri led the Big 12's APR efforts in nine sports, including men's golf, men's swimming and diving, men's indoor track and field, women's basketball, women's cross country, women's golf, women's gymnastics, women's swimming and diving and women's indoor track and field. The Tigers ranked second overall in baseball, men's cross country, men's outdoor track and field and women's outdoor track and field and ranked third in men's basketball.
Each of Mizzou's 20 sports met or exceeded the APR requirements for the 05-06 academic year, as well as the multi-year average. Three sports, which included men's golf, women's golf and women's cross country, recorded perfect scores for the 05-06 academic year and earned public recognition from the NCAA, as did women's indoor track and field.
While the NCAA will eventually require a four-year average score for each sport, the multi-year average only includes the past three years. Institutions are awarded points when a student-athlete remains academically eligible for competition and when he or she either returns to the institution the following semester or graduates. A maximum of two points per student/per semester is awarded.
The NCAA does not penalize an institution for student-athletes who remain academically eligible but did not return to the institution due to circumstances beyond the student and/or institution's control. Examples of this include student-athletes who leave to pursue professional athletics, suffer from incapacitating physical or mental illness, or experience extreme financial difficulties as the result of a specific event such as a death in the family.
Complete information on the 2007 APR Report can be found at the NCAA's website 
.
