June 29, 2015

NCAA Report: Golden Eagle football top all OVC teams in 2014 APR

For the fifth consecutive year, all 14 Tennessee Tech athletic teotball team topped the OVC.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – For the second consecutive year, the Tennessee Tech football team has posted the highest Academic Progress Rate (APR) in the Ohio Valley Conference, receiving an award from the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA).

FCS ADA announced the recipients of the APR Award, sponsored by Forward Progress. The APR Award recognizes one institution at each of the 13 FCS conferences that has the highest APR score. In addition, the Association also recognizes one institution from each conference that has improved the most from the previous year. In all, 27 awards were preented this year.

“Our Association is pleased to present these awards to spotlight the mission of all FCS programs, embracing the academic progress of their student-athletes, who will become leaders off the field,” said FCS ADA President Jeff Tingey, director of athletics at Idaho State University. “Thanks to Forward Progress, we are pleased to continue to recognize the FCS institutions and their football programs for continuing to reach exemplary APR scores.”

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) member colleges and universities adopted a comprehensive academic reform package designed to improve the academic success and graduation of all student-athletes. The centerpiece of the package is the academic measurement for teams, known as the APR.

Tech is one of seven institutions that have achieved their conference's with the highest APR score each of the past two years, joining UC Davis (Big Sky), Coastal Carolina (Big South), Bryant (Northeast), Holy Cross (Patriot), Wofford (Southern) Dartmouth (Ivy).

The institutions received their awards during the FCS ADA Luncheon sponsored by Borden Perlman Insurance Agency, on June 15 in conjunction with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Conference	Highest APR in 2013-14	Most Improved for 2013-14
Big Sky Conference	University of California Davis	Portland State University
Big South Conference	Coastal Carolina University	Presbyterian College
Colonial Athletic Association	Elon University	Towson University
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference	Delaware State University	Bethune-Cookman University
Missouri Valley Football Conference	Illinois State University	Southern Illinois University
Northeast Conference	Bryant University	Saint Francis University
Ohio Valley Conference	Tennessee Technological University	University of Tennessee at Martin
Patriot League	College of the Holy Cross, Georgetown University	Fordham University
Pioneer Football League	University of Dayton	Morehead State University
Southern Conference	Wofford College	Virginia Military Institute
Southland Conference	McNeese State University	University of Central Arkansas
Southwestern Athletic Conference	Jackson State University	Alcorn State University
The Ivy League	Dartmouth College	Princeton University

About the FCS ADA: Now in its 23^rd year, the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association's mission is to enhance Football Championship Subdivision football. For more information on the FCS ADA, please visit www.fcsada.com. The FCS ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 51^st year. For more information on NACDA and the 14 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.

About Forward Progress Athletics Consulting: Forward Progress is the industry leader in providing academic and APP-related consulting to NCAA institutions, conferences and individuals. Discover more at www.ForwardProgressAC.com.