Alabama Football Posts Program-Record APR Score, One of Five Crimson Tide Team In Top-10 Percentile

A total of 15 Crimson Tide teams posted APR scores better than 980, including 11 that scored 990 or better

INDIANAPOLIS  — All 21 University of Alabama athletics teams scored above the national cutoff standard in the latest Academic Progress Rate (APR), which the NCAA announced. 

Alabama football posted a program record of 990, which bettered the national average for Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams by 22 points. It ranked second in the Southeastern Conference. 

The men's basketball team posted a 990 APR, bettering the national average by 24 points.

Baseball, with a 988 APR, bettered the national average by 11 points.

Figures released covered the four-year period extending from the 2015-16 through 2018-19 school years.

"Our latest NCAA APR numbers show that we remain steadfast in The University of Alabama’s overarching mission to provide a top-notch education while providing a strong springboard to future success," athletic director Greg Byrne said. "Our dedication to that mission is campus wide and it shows."

Overall, 13 Crimson Tide teams posted scores above the national average in their respective sports, including six that bettered the national average of their sport by 10 points or more.

Five Alabama teams — football, men's basketball, gymnastics, women's golf and volleyball — earned public recognition from the NCAA for their APR scores figuring in the top-10 percentile nationally among teams in those sports.

In addition to national recognition, eight Crimson Tide teams ranked among the top three among conference squads in their respective sports, with gymnastics, women's golf and volleyball ranked No. 1 in the SEC and rowing, which competes out of the Big 12, topping that league. Soccer was third.  

Along with football, baseball and men's swimming and diving were second in the SEC.

Women's golf, gymnastics and volleyball all posted a perfect 1,000 for their four-year score. Those teams were joined by rowing (998), soccer (998), softball (997), women’s swimming and diving (994), men’s swimming and diving (993), women’s tennis (992), football (990) and men’s basketball (990) among the 11 UA programs with scores of 990 or better.

Additionally, baseball (988), men’s golf (984), women’s cross country (985) and women’s track and field (988) were among the UA teams that posted scores of 980 or better.

"In looking at these number, I don’t think there’s any doubt that our student-athletes, faculty, administration, coaches and staff here at The University of Alabama's are committed to doing things the right way," UA Senior Associate Athletics Director for Student Services Jon Dever said.

The Academic Progress Rate measures the eligibility, retention and graduation of student-athletes competing on every Division I sports team. It also serves as a predictor of graduation success. The NCAA's Division I Board of Directors set cut scores of 930 (out of 1,000) as a threshold for teams to meet or face possible immediate and historical sanctions. An APR of 930 translates to approximately a 50 percent Graduation Success Rate (GSR).