Six Husky Teams Recognized for Excellence in Academics

Each year, the NCAA honors teams with APRs in the top 10 percent of their respective sports.

The national champion UConn field hockey team is one of six Husky teams that have been honored by the NCAA with Academic Rate Public Recognition Awards. The UConn men’s golf, women’s tennis, and men’s cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field teams also won the honor, which is given each year to teams with APRs in the top 10 percent of their respective sports.

Champions on and off the field: the field hockey team won both an NCAA title and a Public Recognition Award. (Keith Lucas for UConn)
Champions on and off the field: the field hockey team won both an NCAA title and a Public Recognition Award. (Keith Lucas for UConn)

The field hockey team, under Hall of Fame head coach Nancy Stevens, is just one of seven teams nationally to win an NCAA title this year and earn a Public Recognition Award.

The golf team, under head coach Dave Pezzino, has earned this honor for the ninth -consecutive year, and every year since the inception of the award in 2006. The women’s tennis team, under head coach Glenn Marshall, has now been honored in six consecutive years. The men’s cross country team, under head coach Greg Roy and associate head coach Rich Miller, were honored for the third consecutive year. The honor was the first for the men’s indoor and outdoor track and field teams.

“I want to congratulate the student-athletes on our field hockey, men’s golf, women’s tennis, and men’s cross country and track and field teams for their outstanding success in the classroom,” said Warde Manuel, director of athletics. “Their commitment to excellence in both academics and athletics is to be highly admired. I want to thank the coaching staffs of all these sports and the staff of the Counseling Program for Intercollegiate Athletics for all their efforts to support the academic success of our student-athletes.”

APR scores are a measure of classroom performance of student-athletes on every Division I team, based on the eligibility and retention for each semester or quarter. This year’s awards are based on the multi-year APR scores from the 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, and 2012-13 academic years.

APR scores for this four-year cycle for all schools and teams are scheduled to be announced on May 14.