Record 8 Liberty Athletics programs post perfect APR scores

A Liberty Athletics record eight programs have been recognized by the NCAA for holding a perfect 1,000 Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores.

On Tuesday, the NCAA released its multi-year APR scores for the 2023-24 academic year and men’s basketball, men’s cross country, men’s golf, men’s tennis, women’s lacrosse, women’s swimming & diving, women’s tennis, and women’s volleyball posted a perfect 1,000 score.

Liberty’s previous record for the number of programs with perfect scores was six — set in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 academic years.

Since the NCAA started releasing multi-year APR score information for the 2004-05 academic year (19 years – no scores in 2019-20 due to COVID-19), Liberty Athletics has had 47 teams post a perfect APR score of 1,000. Additionally, 20 of those 47 perfect APR scores have been recorded during the last three years.

Liberty’s football (981) and men’s track & field (980) programs posted all-time high APR scores during the release of the multi-year APR scores for the 2023-24 academic year.

Liberty’s football program APR score has increased each year in the last seven years, starting with a 943 APR score during the 2016-17 academic year.

During the same period of time, Liberty’s men’s basketball program’s APR score has also increased each year during the last eight years, starting with a 939 during the 2015-16 academic year. Liberty’s men’s basketball program has posted a perfect 1,000 APR score the last two years.

“Liberty student-athletes are thriving by every measure, and we are excited to celebrate these recent NCAA APR honors for our eight teams with a perfect score of 1,000,” said Liberty Director of Athletics Ian McCaw.

Overall, Liberty Athletics had 12 programs post an APR score of 990 or higher (1,000 – men’s basketball, men’s cross country, men’s golf, men’s tennis, women’s lacrosse, women’s swimming & diving, women’s tennis and women’s volleyball; 997 – field hockey; 995 – women’s cross country; 990 – softball).

The APR measures eligibility, graduation, and retention each semester or academic term and provides a clear picture of the academic performance for each team in every sport. All teams must meet an academic threshold of 930 to qualify for postseason competition and can face penalties for continued low academic performance.