MILWAUKEE – Four programs in the Milwaukee Athletics Department were honored as part of the NCAA APR Public Recognition Awards for outstanding academic achievements based on the most recent multi-year NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate (APR), released Wednesday by the NCAA national office.

Milwaukee men's basketball (APR of 1,000), men's cross country (1,000), women's swimming & diving (1,000) and men's track & field (996) are the four programs named to the prestigious lists revealed today.
 
"This honor is a testament to our amazing student-athletes and their commitment to achieve success inside and outside of the classroom," Director of Athletics Amanda Braun said. "We are extremely proud of these APR achievements and the combined efforts of both the Milwaukee Athletics department leadership and the University to provide such a wonderful experience for our student-athletes."
 
The basketball program is one of 35 schools honored across the NCAA and the only Horizon League member on the MBB list.
 
Women's swim & dive is one of 43 total schools named and again, the only Horizon League member.
 
Cross country is one of 81 schools, while men's track is one of 39 schools. The only other league member on either of those two specific lists is Northern Kentucky.
 
The Panthers were recognized for ranking in the Top 10 percent of their respective sport across the NCAA Division I level. The most recent APRs are multiyear rates based on scores from the 2014-15 through the 2017-18 academic years.
 
The APR is an annual scorecard of academic achievement calculated for all Division I sports teams.
 
Largely as a result of an increase in perfect scores, teams earning Public Recognition Awards increased to 1,328, up by 44 from the previous academic year. APRs for programs in the top 10% ranged from 987 to a perfect 1,000, and the number of teams posting perfect scores increased to 1,214, marking an increase of 26 teams from last year. Of the teams recognized, 471 competed in men's or mixed sports, and 857 competed in women's sports.
 
Each year, the NCAA honors selected Division I sports teams by publicly recognizing their latest multiyear NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate.  This announcement is part of the overall Division I academic reform effort and is intended to highlight teams that 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.