May 6, 2008

LEWISBURG, Pa. - The NCAA on Tuesday made public its fourth set of Academic Performance Rate (APR) data, representing a recently implemented formula now used to track student-athlete eligibility and retention that could lead to sanctions against institutions not meeting certain minimum standards. For the fourth year in a row, Bucknell scored very well in the APR report, with each of its 26 reporting programs easily meeting the 925-point cutoff. Scores under 925 could result in certain NCAA-imposed penalties, including loss of scholarships.

Under the APR system, a student-athlete can be awarded two points per semester - one for remaining academically eligible throughout the semester and another for being retained for the next term. Team percentages are then calculated to determine its APR.

The latest APR data represents a four-year average based on institutional reporting for the 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 academic years. Henceforth, the NCAA will evaluate programs based on a four-year rolling average.

Bucknell reported APR data in 26 of its 27 varsity programs - wrestling, in just its second year back at the varsity level, does not yet have a large enough sample size - and half of those 26 teams still have perfect 1,000 scores in the four-year average. Those programs are men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, women's lacrosse, women's rowing, men's and women's soccer, women's swimming & diving, men's and women's tennis, women's indoor track & field and women's water polo.

Every Bison program received a score of at least 960, and 22 scored 980 or better, including football and men's and women's basketball.

Recently the NCAA issued Public Recognition Awards to 712 Division I teams ranking in the top 10 percent nationally in their respective sport, based on APR scores. Bucknell had 17 teams honored, fourth-most in the nation based on percentage of sports offerings. The Patriot League ranked second among all Division I conferences with a total of 89 teams receiving awards.

"The NCAA's latest round of APR data publicly confirms that Bucknell student-athletes continue to succeed the right way, with balanced focus on both the playing fields and in the classrooms and laboratories," said director of athletics and recreation John Hardt. "Winning championships is always a priority at Bucknell, and to do so while also ranking among the nation's elite in graduation rates, APR and Academic All-Americans validates the superb efforts of our student-athletes, coaches, faculty and staff."

Bucknell is a highly-selective, privately endowed liberal arts institution with an enrollment of approximately 3,400 undergraduate students. Bucknell competes in NCAA Division I as a member of the Patriot League and has full membership along with American, Army, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh and Navy. Bucknell has won the Presidents' Cup, signifying the Patriot League's all-sports champion, in 13 of 17 years, including nine of the last 10 years.