BOSTON — Three Northeastern University athletic teams were recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as recipients of Public Recognition Awards, the organization announced Wednesday.
Each year, the NCAA honors selected Division I sports teams by publicly recognizing their latest multiyear NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate (APR). This announcement is part of the overall Division I academic reform effort and is intended to highlight teams that demonstrate a commitment to academic progress and retention of student-athletes by achieving the top APRs within their respective sports. Specifically, these teams posted multiyear APRs in the top 10 percent of all squads in each sport.
The Northeastern teams recognized by the NCAA were men's cross country, men's soccer, and women's indoor track and field. Men's cross country received a Public Recognition Award for the third straight year and the fourth time in the last five years. Men's soccer also earned its third straight award, while the women's indoor track and field squad garnered its first.
This marks the fifth consecutive year that at least three Northeastern teams earned Public Recognition Awards.
The NCAA honors follow another impressive semester in the classroom, as 72 NU student-athletes were named to the Dean's List en route to a cumulative 3.111 grade point average. Thirty-two student-athletes earned Top Dog distinction (GPA of 3.8 or higher), including 10 who registered a perfect 4.0 and 14 more who earned a 3.9 or better.
In the nine years of the NCAA's academic reform program, Northeastern teams have earned 22 Public Recognition Awards, including an impressive 20 in the last five years. Those teams are: baseball (2004-05), men's cross country (2008-09, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13), field hockey (2010-11, 2011-12), football (2008-09), women's ice hockey (2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12), men's indoor track and field (2009-10), men's outdoor track and field (2009-10), women's rowing (2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11), men's soccer (2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13), and women's indoor track and field (2012-13).
In a release announcing the awards, the NCAA noted that the 1,049 teams publicly recognized for high achievement represent 631 women's teams and 418 men's or mixed squads. In 2013, 976 teams were recognized. The scores required to be in the top 10 ranged from 980 to a perfect 1,000, depending on the sport, with the majority of top-10 teams earning a perfect APR.
"Each year, more and more teams are achieving perfect APR scores," NCAA president Mark Emmert said in a statement. "We are proud of our member schools' commitment to providing tremendous opportunities for student-athletes so they can succeed on the field, in the classroom, and in life."
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