DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The release of national APR scores for all Division I schools was announced last week, and once again Bethune-Cookman University maintained high scores across the board when compared to the other members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). The release of the multiyear APR rate serves as a good indicator of the success of the academic initiatives and commitment to academic excellence on each campus.
APR stands for Academic Progress Rate, and has been a main focus of all colleges/universities across all divisions for the past eight years.
“The multiyear rate gives us a rolling four year average and a much clearer picture of the impact of our academic support unit on our athletic program,” said B-CU Director of Athletics, Lynn W. Thompson. “It also serves as a great indicator of what is working long range with respect to each team and each student-athlete.”
Overall, Bethune-Cookman finished in the top five of the MEAC in 10 of the 17 sponsored sports, and led the MEAC with the highest APR mark in football, men's cross country, softball and women's golf, respectively. The school also enjoyed second place rankings in men's basketball, baseball, men's indoor track & field, and men's outdoor track & field. Men's golf and men's tennis each finished fifth in the multiyear rankings.
“We have created an atmosphere of accountability across our campus, and our coaches and student-athletes are on board,” stated Thompson. “It is no coincidence that our teams with high multiyear APR rates are also perennial contenders for conference crowns and postseason play.”
High APR scores also provide coaches with the luxury of having a consistent nucleus of high caliber student-athletes who ensure team chemistry and experience which are invaluable tools when building a college sports team.
“We are excited about what our student-athletes were able to achieve this academic year,” states Molly Tye, Assistant AD for Student-Athlete Support. “It has taken a team effort from the Office of Student-Athlete Support, the coaching staff and the entire department of athletics to make this happen. We wouldn't have it any other way.”
Men's Sports
| Football |
.935 |
First |
Brian Jenkins |
| Cross Country |
.990 |
First |
Donald Cooper |
| Indoor Track & Field |
.953 |
Second |
Donald Cooper |
| Outdoor Track & Field |
.954 |
Second |
Donald Cooper |
| Basketball |
.947 |
Second |
Gravelle Craig |
| Baseball |
.966 |
Second |
Jason Beverlin |
| Golf |
.924 |
Fifth |
Loritz "Scooter" Clark |
| Tennis |
.976 |
Fifth |
Tim Pleasant |
Women's Sports
| Golf |
1.000 |
First |
Loritz "Scooter" Clark |
| Softball |
.982 |
First |
Chris Cochran |
| Bowling |
.962 |
Seventh |
Robert "Tony" O'Neal |
| Volleyball |
.956 |
Eighth |
Isaac Raphael |
| Tennis |
.964 |
Eighth |
Tim Pleasant |
| Basketball |
.922 |
Ninth |
Vanessa Blair |
| Cross Country |
.923 |
13th |
Donald Cooper |
| Indoor Track & Field |
.922 |
12th |
Donald Cooper |
| Outdoor Track & Field |
.920 |
12th |
Donald Cooper |
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