June 11, 2013
SAN DIEGO -
SDSU'S 2011-12 ACADEMIC PROGRESS RATE
All 19 athletic programs at San Diego State exceeded the NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) standards issued by the NCAA with eight programs setting multi-year record highs, five scoring a perfect single-year score and three earning distinction from the NCAA for scoring in the top-10 percent nationally.
On Tuesday, the NCAA released information for every school in the country based on the eligibility and retention of each scholarship student-athlete. Teams scoring below certain thresholds can face sanctions, such as scholarship losses and restrictions on practice. Rates reflect performance over the past four years, with today's latest multi-year score being based on the 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 academic years.
"We are proud of the coaches and student-athletes who continue to excel, not only on the field of play but also in the classroom," San Diego State Director of Athletics Jim Sterk said. "We have great leadership and support in our academic areas led by (associate athletic director of student-athlete academic support services) Lucas Mossman and his staff. They do a fantastic job focusing on helping student-athletes graduate and becoming successful in their area of study."
The eight San Diego State programs that posted record multi-year scores this season were cross country, football, swimming and diving, rowing, baseball, lacrosse, men's tennis and women's tennis.
Five programs recorded a perfect single-year rate of 1,000. That included cross country, women's soccer, softball, men's tennis and women's tennis. The latter four each won a Mountain West title in 2012-13 and women's soccer, softball and women's tennis advanced to the NCAA tournament.
Three sports earned a perfect 1,000 multi-year rate and were recognized last week by the NCAA with a Public Recognition Award. Cross country, men's tennis and women's tennis all received the NCAA honor, helping SDSU become the only Mountain West school with three teams to earn this distinction.
San Diego State is coming off its most successful season in school history, with an Aztec-record 11 teams advancing to NCAA tournament play (scoring at the NCAA meet or participating in a bowl game), a school-record 12 Mountain West championships and four teams (men's basketball, women's soccer, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field) finishing in the top 25 at their NCAA championship.
The Aztecs join Florida and UCLA as the only three schools in the nation to advance to a bowl game and qualify for NCAA tournament play in women's soccer, volleyball, men's basketball and softball.
San Diego State continues to excel in both football and men's basketball as the football team claimed its 19th conference title and advanced to a bowl game for the third straight year and the men's basketball program won 20 games for an eighth consecutive season and played in its fourth straight NCAA tournament. Since the beginning of the 2010-11 school year, the Aztecs have posted a 109-35 record (75.7 percent) in football and men's basketball games, the second-best record in the country (Ohio State).