Dawgs' graduation rate best in SEC football

ATHENS - Tuesday’s annual public release of the NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) report for colleges and universities shows the University of Georgia among the SEC’s top three in football and men’s and women’s basketball.

The APR is a point system based on scholarship athletes’ eligibility and retention for a pre-determined time period.  NCAA sports falling below the established point cutoff (925) are subject to penalties including scholarship reductions.   

The report also showed all Georgia’s 20 countable sports within the acceptable ranges above the 925 cutoff and most scored higher than the national average for both Division I schools and for all public institutions.  

Georgia’s multi-year APR for football was 965, the best among all SEC schools.  The UGA men’s basketball rate of 958 was second behind only Vanderbilt while the Lady Bulldog basketball score of 971 was third best in the league.

  “While we do not yet have graduation rates for athletes at the level I want, I am very pleased at our progress as measured by this year's Academic Progress Rate report,” said UGA President Dr. Michael F. Adams.  “Such should translate into significantly higher graduation rates not too far down the road. I salute our athletics director Damon Evans, our head coaches, and Ted White, our director of academic services, for the priority they have placed on this important goal.”  

Fourteen of Georgia’s 20 sports included on the APR were at or above the national average for Division I schools while 15 were above the average for all public institutions:  The 14 UGA sports above the national average for Division I include (with Div. I average in parentheses): Men’s Basketball, 958 (928); Men’s Cross Country, 979 (963); Football, 965 (934);  Men’s Golf, 982 (962); Men’s Swimming, 970 (967); Men’s Tennis, 978 (961); Women’ Basketball, 971 (960); Women’s Cross Country, 991 (970); Women’s Golf, 981 (974);  Gymnastics, 984 (981); Softball, 976 (965); Women’s Swimming, 978 (978); Women’s  Indoor Track and Field, 971 (964); and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field, 971 (964).  In addition to the above sports, volleyball’s APR score of 966 also ranks ahead of the national average for all public institutions.

  “We’re pleased to be above the established cutoffs in all our sports and above the national averages in most of our varsity programs for all institutions as well as all public institutions,” said UGA Director of Athletics Damon Evans.  “I’m especially pleased with our standing among other SEC schools.  However, even though our scores are good, we are committed to ongoing efforts at strengthening the academic performance of our student-athletes on a daily basis.”  

Georgia Sports and Multi-Year APR:

Baseball, 927; Men’s Basketball, 958;  Men’s Cross Country, 979; Football, 965;  Men’s Golf, 982;  Men’s Swimming, 970;  Men’s Tennis, 978;  Men’s Indoor Track and Field, 926;  Men’s Outdoor Track and Field, 926; Women’s Basketball, 971;  Women’s Cross Country, 991;  Women’s Golf, 981;  Gymnastics, 984;  Women’s Soccer, 952;  Softball, 976;  Women’s Swimming, 978; Women’s Tennis, 963; Women’s Indoor Track and Field, 971; Women’s Outdoor Track and Field, 971; Volleyball, 966.