April 24, 2008

USC's national champion women's soccer team, its Pac-10 champion women's golf squad and the Women of Troy cross country team were among 712 Division I teams honored today (April 23) by the NCAA with Public Recognition Awards for their latest multi-year Academic Progress Rate scores.

These teams posted multi-year APR scores in the top 10 percent of all Division I squads in their respective sports. The teams recognized this year represent 11.4 percent of the 6,272 Division I teams. The public recognition awards are part of the broad Division I academic reform effort.

All three USC teams were similarly honored last year, along with the Trojan men's tennis team.

The APR provides a real-time look at a team's academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete. The APR includes eligibility, retention, and graduation in the calculation and provides a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport. High-performing teams receiving awards posted APR scores ranging from 965 to a perfect 1,000.

"Congratulations to these teams and their student-athletes for success in the classroom," NCAA President Myles Brand said. "They are setting a great example for their peers and future student-athletes, as well."