According to the NCAA, UND athletics exceeded the national average in the Academic Progress Rate in 2011-2012.

In 2011-12, the national average APR score was 974. The 20 athletic teams at UND achieved an APR score of 977, exceeding the national average.

“We recruit student athletes that achieve not only in their sports but in the classroom,’” Athletic Director Brian Faison said. “We recruit some exceptional students here at UND, and our coaches have had a great influence on our student athletes.”

The highest scoring team at UND was the softball team, with a score of 996, followed by women’s soccer with 994, then women’s golf with 993, then men’s golf and men’s hockey, which tied at 989.

The APR is based on the academic performance of scholarship student-athletes. APR scores below a determined score can have negative impacts on the team. According to the NCAA website, the first sanction “limits teams to 16 hours of practice a week over five days, with the lost four hours to be replaced with academic activities. This represents a reduction of four hours and one day per week of practice time”. Further sanctions can include suspension from tournaments.

Although the APR scores of UND athletics teams are increasing, the NCAA is also increasing the minimum APR scores required for teams. In 2012-13 the four-year average for teams must be 900, but the 2014-15 four-year average for teams must be 930 in order for teams to participate in championships.

“We’re certainly going to work hard with our student athletes to make sure that this (upward trend) continues,” Faison said.

Larry Philbin is the news editor of The Dakota Student. He can be reached at [email protected]