June 11, 2013

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Twelve University of Notre Dame athletic teams earned perfect 1,000 scores–more perfect scores than any other Football Bowl Subdivision school registered–in the ninth annual set of Academic Progress Rate statistics issued today by the NCAA.

All 26 Irish athletics programs again exceeded the NCAA’s APR minimum standards.

Notre Dame’s 12 perfect scores of 1,000 led all FBS programs for the second straight year. Stanford ranked second with 11, while Duke had 10. Boston College and Northwestern tied for fourth with nine each, followed by Vanderbilt (seven) and Rice (six).

Notre Dame also led the FBS schools in 1,000 scores in 2012 (also with 12) and in 2009 (with nine).

The 2013 report released by the NCAA features a four-year compilation of APR data from the 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 academic years. The APR uses a series of formulas related to student-athlete retention and eligibility to measure the academic performances of all participants who receive grants-in-aid on every team at every NCAA Division I college and university.

Eight Notre Dame’s men’s teams–basketball, cross country, fencing, golf, lacrosse, tennis, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field–registered perfect 1,000 scores. Four Irish women’s teams–cross country, golf, softball, and swimming and diving–also earned perfect scores.

Ten other Notre Dame teams produced scores of 991 or better: women’s rowing (998), men’s swimming and diving (997), women’s lacrosse (997), women’s volleyball (995), men’s soccer (994), women’s indoor track and field (994), women’s outdoor track and field (994), baseball (992), women’s tennis (991) and men’s ice hockey (991).

The release follows the announcement last week by the NCAA of teams that posted multi-year APR scores in the top 10 percent of all squads in their respective sports. The public recognition awards are part of the broad Division I academic reform effort.

Notre Dame had 15 of its programs honored last week for the multi-year achievement–baseball, men’s basketball, men’s cross country, men’s fencing, men’s golf, men’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, men’s swimming and diving, men’s tennis, men’s indoor track and field, men’s outdoor track and field, women’s cross country, women’s golf, softball, and women’s swimming and diving.

Notre Dame had 17 programs honored with public recognition awards in both 2012 and 2011, 14 sports honored in both 2010 and 2009–and 11 programs honored in both 2007 and 2008.

Notre Dame this year led the way in terms of FBS schools in number of programs honored (Duke also had 15).

The APR provides a real-time look at a team’s academic success each semester, by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete. The APR includes both retention at institution and academic eligibility in its calculation and provides a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport.