USF’s APR results

Posted May 2, 2007 by Brett McMurphy

Updated May 2, 2007 at 02:18 PM

The University of South Florida did not receive any penalties from the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate (APR) data released today. However, three sports – football, men’s basketball and volleyball – fell below 925, the score where if a teams falls below they can lose scholarships, face recruiting restrictions and miss postseason play.  (Click here for a complete run down of USF’s APR results).

“Having them in that range is something we take very seriously,” said Amy Haworth, USF’s associate AD for academics.

Those sports did not receive any penalties because of what the NCAA calls squad size adjustment and “upper confidence boundary.” Football had a 910 score, men’s basketball 898 and volleyball 914.

USF had four sports – men’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf and softball – finish among the top 10 percent nationally. For a second consecutive year, men’s cross country and men’s and women’s golf each had perfect 1,000 scores, which value academic eligibility and retention by staying in school and on pace to graduate. The softball team improved from 993 last year to 995 this year.

“We’re very proud of the sports that have been recognized in the top of the country,” Haworth said. “I can’t say the numbers are surprising to any of us.

“We’re well aware what’s going on. There’s a lot of hard work by a lot of people; student athletes, advisers, coaches and the faculty.”

This year’s APR data was compiled from the past three school years (2003-04 through 2005-06). Last year’s APR data was for only two years (2003-04 and 2004-05). Of USF’s 17 sports, four had the same score as last year (men’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf and women’s tennis), while nine had worse scores (baseball, football, men’s soccer, men’s tennis, men’s outdoor track, women’s cross country, women’s indoor and outdoor track and volleyball) and four had better scores (men’s basketball, women’s basketball, women’s soccer and softball).

“Even the sports that aren’t as high as we’d like them to be, we like what’s happening in those sports,” Haworth said

USF has added four more academic advisors for student-athletes and some different programs to help student-athletes, Haworth said.

“Obviously we always want to improve,” Haworth said. “Some of the frustrations for a small squad as volleyball, there’s no reason to be the number that it is – it’s [because of] a few situations. That’s some of the frustrations we’re having across the country.

“Across the board, we’re pleased with where we are. I’m real happy and our scores will continue to improve drastically.”

As the university and the Bulls’ sports programs continue to grow, Haworth expects the Bulls to continue to improve.

“Overall there are plenty of schools facing hefty penalties and we don’t have to worry about that thankfully,” Haworth said. “Having students succeed is what we’re in this business for. It’s very rewarding.”