Athletics

May 18, 2018 | Combined Reports - UConn Communications

Seven UConn Teams Earn NCAA Public Recognition Awards

The Huskies set a school record in the number of programs earning APR honors over a four-year period through 2016-17.

Graduation photo. (Stephen Slade '87 (SFA) for UConn)

The Huskies set a school record In the number of programs earning APR honors over a four-year period through 2016-17. (Stephen Slade '87 (SFA) for UConn)

The UConn men’s basketball, women’s cross country, field hockey, men’s golf, men’s hockey, men’s tennis, and women’s tennis teams were honored on Wednesday with NCAA Public Recognition Awards for outstanding academic performance.

Teams are recognized with the Public Recognition Award by the NCAA for posting Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores that are in the top 10 percent nationally of their individual sport. The APR is an annual scorecard of academic achievement calculated for all Division I sports teams nationally. All Division I teams’ APR scores will be released May 23.

The latest APR scores cover a four-year period from 2013-14 to 2016-17.

The seven squads earning a Public Recognition Award mark a school record, besting the previous record of six teams recognized with the prestigious honor in 2012-13.

“The academic performance by our student-athletes is a source of pride for UConn, and I am honored to be associated with such an impressive group of young men and women,” director of athletics David Benedict said. “Our Student-Athlete Success Program continues its outstanding work with all 24 of our sports, and I want to thank them for their tireless dedication to our student-athletes.”

The men’s golf team, under the direction of head coach Dave Pezzino, has been honored all 13 years that the APR program has existed.

The honor is the second in-a-row for the men’s basketball team and seventh for the field hockey team, which has won three national championships during the four-year measuring period.

The women’s cross country team, winners of the 2017 American Athletic Conference Championship, and the men’s hockey team were each recognized for the first time.

The women’s tennis program has been honored 10 consecutive times, while the men’s tennis program was recognized for the fifth time and fourth consecutive.