April 24, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The NCAA released its public recognition awards Thursday for the 2007-08 sports teams achieving the highest level of academic performance in Division I. The list included five teams from Samford University. These teams posted multiyear Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores in the top 10 percent of all squads in their respective sports. The public recognition awards are part of the broad Division I academic reform effort.

The Samford teams that received the public recognition awards are women's basketball, women's cross country, women's golf, women's indoor track and field and women's outdoor track and field. The five teams leads the Ohio Valley Conference and the state of Alabama.

The APR provides a look at a team's academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete. The APR includes eligibility, retention and graduation in the calculation and provides a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport. High-performing teams receiving awards posted APR scores ranging from 965 to a perfect 1,000.

STATE OF ALABAMA SCHOOLS
Samford University
Women's Basketball
Women's Cross Country
Women's Golf
Women's Track, Indoor
Women's Track, Outdoor

University of Alabama
Women's Cross Country
Women's Volleyball

University of South Alabama
Men's Cross Country
Women's Golf

Auburn University
Men's Golf

Alabama A&M University
Women's basketball

OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE SCHOOLS
Samford University
Women's Basketball
Women's Cross Country
Women's Golf
Women's Track, Indoor
Women's Track, Outdoor

Eastern Kentucky University
Men's Golf

Morehead State University
Women's Basketball