Student-athletes from Penn State, Pitt and Duquesne surpassed national averages in academic progress over the past four years, according to data released Tuesday by the NCAA.
At Penn State, a school-record 20 teams earned perfect APR scores of 1,000 during the 2018-19 academic year, an increase of seven from the previous year. Penn State’s all-sport APR average was 990.
The football team posted its first 1,000 single-year APR in program history, topping the previous high of 993 in 2014-15.
A total of 22 of 29 teams equaled or surpassed their four-year APR score from the 2019, an increase of three from last year. Eight teams have a multi-year APR that is at least 10 points higher than the Division I average.
Six of Penn State teams earned perfect four-year (2015-16 through 2018-19) APR scores of 1,000. They are women’s cross country, fencing, golf and track and field and men’s golf and hockey. The average four-year score of Penn State’s 29 teams is 986.
At Pitt, football, wrestling, men’s cross country and soccer, softball and women’s volleyball set or matched their multi-year APR scores from a year ago.
Pitt had nine programs perform at or above the national average over four years. Cross country posted a 1,000 score for the first time. Football’s 988 is a program best, tied for 11th nationally and 22 points above the national average.
Programs performing at or above the national average were men’s basketball and cross country, football, wrestling, women’s basketball, volleyball, track and field and cross country and softball, women’s track and field and volleyball.
Pitt’s overall four-year score of 983 matched its all-time high.
Duquesne’s varsity programs recorded a school-record average APR of 989 — six points above the national average.
A total of 13 of the 16 programs scored 990 or above, and 10 — men’s cross country and tennis, women’s cross country, track and soccer, rowing, lacrosse, swimming and diving and volleyball — posted a perfect single-year rate of 1,000 for 2018-19.
