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June 20, 2012
Five Samford Teams Earn Public Recognition Awards
Five Samford University teams have received public recognition awards for the 2010-11 academic year from the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The NCAA released its public recognition awards May 14 for the teams achieving the highest level of academic performance in Division I.
"The consistent performance our student-athletes have produced in the classroom is something the athletics department takes great pride in each year," Samford director of athletics Martin Newton said. "The 2011-12 school year was our best on the field since we joined the SoCon with five conference championships, and for five of our teams to earn public recognition for their academic work shows what well-rounded student-athletes we have at Samford."
Samford teams that received the public recognition awards are men's basketball, men's golf, women's cross country, women's soccer and women's tennis.
These teams posted multiyear Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores in the top 10 percent of all squads nationally in their respective sports. The public recognition awards are part of a broad Division I academic reform effort.
With the five teams earning recognition this year, Samford has had at least five teams earn the award in each year of the seven-year existence of the APR. The school's women's cross country team has earned recognition each year as well.
"Once again, Samford's student athletes have demonstrated that they excel in the classroom as well on the field of competition," J. Bradley Creed, Samford's chief academic officer, said. "For five of our teams to receive this public and national recognition speaks to Samford's academic rigor as well as the commitment of these students to find balance between their academic pursuits and their athletics competition. We are proud of all of their accomplishments, just as we are proud of all Samford students who excel academically and in extracurricular interests."
Having five teams receive recognition ranks Samford first among Division I schools in the state of Alabama. In the state, the University of Alabama has two teams receiving recognition, while Alabama A&M, Jacksonville State and UAB had one each. Samford has led the state in public recognition awards in all seven years they have been awarded.
Samford is tied for third among Southern Conference schools. Nine SoCon schools earned public recognition awards, led by Davidson College with 10 in SoCon-sponsored sports.
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 eligibility, retention and graduation in the calculation and provides a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport.
In addition to posting high APR scores, Samford student-athletes have earned many other academic awards this year. Samford had 43 student-athletes named to the SoCon's Academic All-Conference teams so far in the 2011-12 school year (23 in the fall and 20 in the winter). The spring Academic All-Conference team will be announced during the summer.
ALABAMA SCHOOLS WITH PUBLIC RECOGNITION AWARDS
SAMFORD: 5
Alabama: 2
Alabama A&M: 1
Jacksonville State: 1
UAB: 1
SOUTHERN CONFERENCE SCHOOLS WITH PUBLIC RECOGNITION AWARDS (SoCon-Sponsored Sports Only)
Davidson: 10
Wofford: 7
SAMFORD: 5
Elon: 5
Furman: 5
UNC Greensboro: 3
Appalachian State: 2
College of Charleston: 1
Chattanooga: 1
SAMFORD'S YEAR-BY-YEAR BREAKDOWN OF PUBLIC RECOGNITION AWARDS
2004-05: 8
2005-06: 6
2006-07: 5
2007-08: 5
2008-09: 5
2009-10: 7
2010-11: 5
