Five Auburn sports posted perfect Academic Progress Rate scores in the four-year period ending in 2016-17 and 13 teams posted perfect single-year scores during that year, both increases from the prior academic year, according to the NCAA's annual APR reports released Wednesday.
Auburn's women's cross country, women's golf, women's tennis, soccer and gymnastics teams all had perfect multi-year scores and men's basketball, men's cross country, men's golf, men's tennis, men's track, women's swimming, women's track and women's volleyball each had perfect scores for 2016-17. Equestrian, a non-NCAA sport, also received perfect multi-year and single-year scores.
"To have 14 teams achieve perfect APR scores is a tremendous accomplishment," Auburn athletic director Allen Greene said in a statement. "Fielding nationally competitive programs while balancing the demands of Auburn University's rigorous academics speaks to the extraordinary efforts of our student-athletes, coaches and academic support staff."
A prior goal of former Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs was for all Auburn sports to score 950 of higher and all did so for both the multi-year and single-year scores.
An APR score of 930 equates to a roughly 50 percent graduation rate and postseason eligibility requires a four-year score of 930 or 940 for the most recent two years.
Auburn's 13 perfect team single-year scores are up from nine in 2015-16 and match its mark from 2014-15.
Auburn football's four-year APR score remained 980 with a single-year APR of 978, up slightly from 975 in 2016-17, but down from the 981 in 2014-15 and 985 in 2013-14. The four-year APR is third in the SEC behind Vanderbilt (993) and Alabama (984).
The multi-year APR for Auburn men's basketball improved yet again to 995 from 978 in 2015-16, 956 in 2014-15 and 946 in 2013-14, and the program posted its third perfect single-year score over four years. The four-year APR is second in the SEC behind Kentucky (1,000).
Based on the single-year APR scores, Auburn coaches Gus Malzahn and Bruce Pearl will each receive bonuses of $75,000, per their contracts.
Auburn's NCAA Academic Progress Rate
| Men's Teams | Multi-year | 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball | 962 (up from 958) | 950 (down from 971) |
| Basketball | 995 (up from 978) | 1,000 (up from 980) |
| Cross Country | 994 (no change) | 1,000 (up from 972) |
| Football | 980 (no change) | 978 (up from 975) |
| Golf | 994 (no change) | 1,000 (no change) |
| Swimming | 985 (up from 980) | 991 (up from 981) |
| Tennis | 992 (up from 983) | 1,000 (no change) |
| Track | 964 (up from 964) | 1,000 (up from 918) |
| Women's Teams | Multi-year | 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|
| Basketball | 991 (down from 995) | 966 (down from 980) |
| Cross Country | 1,000 (no change) | 1,000 (no change) |
| Golf | 1,000 (no change) | 1,000 (no change) |
| Gymnastics | 1,000 (no change) | 1,000 (no change) |
| Soccer | 1,000 (up from 997) | 1,000 (no change) |
| Softball | 994 (up from 993) | 989 (up from 979 |
| Swimming | 993 (up from 986) | 1,000 (up from 981) |
| Tennis | 1,000 (no change) | 1,000 (no change) |
| Track | 992 (up form 991) | 1,000 (no change) |
| Volleyball | 995 (no change) | 1,000 (no change) |