The men’s basketball and cross country teams and women’s golf team are among the top 10 percent in their respective sports in the latest APR, which measures academic eligibility, retention and graduation for student-athletes.
Men’s cross country and women’s golf have a perfect 1000 score for the most recent four-year period from 2008 to 2012 and men’s basketball is close to that figure with a 995 score.
“UofL has high expectations for all of our students, including our student-athletes who continue to amaze us in the classrooms and on the field of play,” said President James Ramsey.
The Cardinals not only won the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, but also excelled in the classroom. The team produced a collective 3.295 grade point average for the 2012‒13 academic year, with a record 3.41 combined GPA for the fall semester — the highest ever for the Cardinals. A total of 15 of 17 Cardinals earned a 3.0 or better for the fall 2012 semester.
Team members won major individual academic awards, as well, over the past year:
- Peyton Siva was a Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-America second team selection and was named the 2013 BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
- Wayne Blackshear won the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Elite 89 Award, presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average participating in the finals site for each of the NCAA championships.
- Russ Smith was honored with a 2013 Scholar Baller Academic Momentum Award, which is presented to an individual based on the level of academic improvement and the impact of that academic momentum.
Academic achievement is not new to the Cardinals. The men’s basketball team earned the 2010‒11 and 2011‒12 BIG EAST Conference Team Academic Excellence Awards, which recognize the highest collective grade point averages in each of the conference’s 24 sports (the 2012‒13 awards have not been announced).
The men’s basketball team has hovered around a collective 3.0 GPA for 10 straight semesters, including posting a 3.18 GPA for the most recent semester, spring 2013.
The NCAA will announce multiyear APRs for all Division I sports teams on June 11.
