Friday, April 24, 2009

Six Valparaiso University athletic teams have been cited with the NCAA Public Recognition Award for academic performance.

Honored were men’s teams in cross country, tennis, indoor track and outdoor track, and women’s teams in softball and volleyball.

The award is presented to teams that have an NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate in the top 10 percent of all teams in their respective sport.  The calculation of APR tracks the academic progress of each student-athlete and includes eligibility, retention and graduation.

University President Mark A. Heckler praised the classroom performance of the University’s student-athletes. “We have a rigorous academic program at Valparaiso,” President Heckler said, “so it is especially gratifying when our athletes are recognized for outperforming many of their peers in the classroom.”

Mark LaBarbera, director of athletics, said the NCAA recognition underscores the commitment Valparaiso’s student-athletes make to achieving academic success.

“To have a third of our intercollegiate teams earning a place among the top 10 percent in academic progress of teams in their respective sports speaks highly of the commitment to education by our student-athletes and the importance our coaches place on the academic success of their team members,” he said. “We are proud of the academic performance of our student-athletes and are pleased when that record is publicly recognized.”