Published on May 24, 2011 by Joey Mullins  

Samford University’s 17 athletics teams posted an average  score of 989 out of 1,000 in the NCAA’s Division I Multi-Year Academic Progress Rate (APR) report, released by the NCAA on May 24.

Four of Samford’s teams (men’s golf, women’s cross country, women’s golf and women’s indoor track and field) posted perfect multi-year scores of 1,000. In addition to the four perfect scores, 11 other Samford teams posted scores of 975 or higher and none of the Bulldog squads scored lower than 961.

“The NCAA's progress ratings are one of several public measures of academic success at Samford University," Samford President Dr. Andrew Westmoreland said. "We are proud of the ways our student-athletes represent our university competitively on the field of play and in the classroom. They are examples of the high quality academic achievement that always has been a hallmark of Samford."

A total of 10 Samford teams posted a score of at least 990. The sports of men’s golf (1,000), men’s tennis (993), women’s basketball (995), women’s cross country (1,000), women’s golf (1,000), women’s soccer (993), women’s tennis (991), women’s indoor track and field (1,000), women’s outdoor track and field (994) and volleyball (995) scored 990 or above.

“Our multi-year scores show that our student-athletes have consistently performed at a high level in the classroom over the last several years,” Martin Newton, Samford’s director of athletics, said. “We are extremely proud of the hard work and dedication our student-athletes have shown in achieving these high scores.”

Samford either led or tied for the lead among all Division I teams in the state of Alabama in 11 of the 17 sports in which it competes. Samford led the state in men’s basketball, men’s cross country, men’s golf, men’s indoor track and field, men’s outdoor track and field, women’s cross country, women’s golf, women’s soccer, women’s indoor track and field, women’s outdoor track and field and volleyball.

Among Southern Conference schools, Samford tied for the lead in men’s golf, women’s cross country, women’s golf and women’s indoor track and field.

The APR compilations, first made public in 2005, are based on academic eligibility, retention and graduation rates for student-athletes at all 334 NCAA Division I member institutions. Samford competes in eight men's and nine women's varsity sports at the Division I level.  In the inaugural overall ratings, involving the 2003-04 school year, Samford tied for seventh nationally. 

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.