For the sixth straight year, the Jackson State University Division of Athletics received favorable NCAA APR scores, and no JSU teams were placed in the NCAA penalty structure. Penalties arise when a team scores fall below 930. All of JSU’s 18 sponsored sports are eligible for post-season play heading into the 2017-18 academic year.
The JSU Division of Athletics continues to be a model NCAA program, with a pair of Tigers programs, men’s cross country and women’s bowling, receiving public recognition from the NCAA for recording perfect 1,000 APR scores.
JSU Director of Athletics Wheeler Brown applauded Tigers student-athletes for their continued dedication in the classroom, as well as on the court and field of competition.
“Our student-athletes continue to raise the bar each and every year, in conjunction with our Athletics Academic Enhancement staff who I feel is the best in the nation,” Brown said. “We continue to work hard. We have total buy-in from the entire campus – from the president’s office on down. I think all of those elements play a huge role in terms of our APR scores, and we are still a model NCAA program.”
Jackson State is one of the leaders in the area of APR among historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and limited resource schools. According to the latest APR reports, JSU’s single-year Academic Progress Rate for limited-resource schools has increased from 939 to 968 since 2010, while HBCUs, in general, saw an increase from 913 to 956 during that time. Teams from schools not considered limited-resource institutions increased the single-year rate by only seven points (979 to 984) over that same time.
[pullquote]JSU’s single-year Academic Progress Rate for limited-resource schools has increased from 939 to 968 since 2010, while HBCUs, in general, saw an increase from 913 to 956 during that time. Teams from schools not considered limited-resource institutions increased the single-year rate by only seven points over that same time.[/pullquote]The Tigers football team, which was in danger of receiving NCAA penalties seven years ago, posted an APR score of 971, which is 14 points above the national FCS average of 957 and nine points above the national FBS average of 962. Baseball, men’s tennis, women’s basketball, softball, women’s tennis and women’s track all received marks that ranked above the national average. Baseball posted a score of 987, while the national average is 973. Men’s tennis posted a 983, two points above the national average of 981.
Women’s basketball scored two points above the national average with a 982, while softball had a 984. Women’s tennis scored 991, and women’s track finished with a 995.
In addition, eight of JSU’s 18 sports lead the Southwestern Athletic Conference in APR scores: baseball, football, men’s cross country, men’s tennis, men’s track, softball, women’s bowling and women’s track.
Every Division I sports team throughout the nation calculates its Academic Progress Rate each academic year, like a report card. Scholarship student-athletes each semester earn one point for remaining eligible and one point for staying in school or graduating. At schools that don’t offer scholarships, recruited student-athletes are tracked. Rates are an average of each school’s performance for the past four years.
JSU Athletics APR Scores
