Air Force Academy

May 17, 2011

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Four Air Force Academy collegiate athletic programs have been recognized with the NCAA Division I Academic Performance Public Recognition Award, announced today by the NCAA. The football, wrestling, women's cross country and women's outdoor track programs were all recognized for achievement in the classroom.

This year marks the fourth-straight season that the Air Force wrestling program has received the NCAA Academic Performance Public Recognitition Award. The wrestling and football teams lead all Air Force programs with five Public Recognition Awards in the six-year history of the award.

Air Force's four programs are tied for the most among teams in the Mountain West Conference, while the Falcons' wrestling program is the only team in the Western Wrestling Conference to earn this year's award. The football program was among 14 nationally in the FBS division recognized while wrestling was among eight schools, women's cross country among 52 programs and women's track among 41 schools.

Each year the NCAA honors selects Division I sports teams by publicly recognizing their latest multiyear APR. This announcement is part of the overall Division I academic reform effort and is intended to highlight teams who demonstrate a commitment to academic progress and retention of student-athletes by achieving the top APRs within their respective sports. Specifically, these teams posted multiyear APRs in the top 10 percent of all squads in each sport.

The APR provides a real-time look at a team's academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete on scholarship. The APR accounts for eligibility, retention and graduation and provides a measure of each team's academic performance.

Multiyear APRs for all Division I sports teams, including the teams receiving public recognition, will be announced at a later date.