Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Athletics Remains Strong In NCAA's APR Report
5/6/2025 1:00:00 PM | General
EMU had a total of eight teams record perfect single-year scores in 2023-24
Complete Database.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University Department of Athletics continues to thrive academically in the Academic Progress Rate (APR), as released by the NCAA today, May 6.
The APR marks are a four-year composite, covering the 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 school years, taking a real-time look at the academic success of scholarship student-athletes. The APR measures academic eligibility, retention, and graduation.
Every Division I sports team across the nation calculates its APR each academic year, similar to a report card. Each semester, scholarship student-athletes earn one point for remaining eligible and one point for staying in school or graduating.
The men's cross country team, women's golf, and women's tennis teams posted a perfect 1,000 multi-year rate in the latest report. Meanwhile, a total of eight teams (men's basketball, men's cross country, men's track & field, women's cross country, women's golf, women's gymnastics, women's lacrosse, and women's tennis) had perfect single-year scores of 1,000 in 2023-24.
"We prepare our student-athletes to achieve academic and athletic excellence," EMU Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee said. "Consistent with our mission, we take great pride in how our student-athletes embody the highest standards of excellence in the classroom, on the field, and how they are engaged in the community. Our faculty, staff, coaches, and administration work tirelessly to assist our student-athletes in achieving their goals, including their academic and athletic endeavors."
The four-year Academic Progress Rate national average for Division I teams remained steady at 984 this year, as the division marked the 21st anniversary of APR data collection. During those 21 years, overall student-athlete academic success has risen substantially.
Each academic year, every Division I sports team's APR is calculated using a simple and consistent formula. Scholarship student-athletes can earn 1 point for staying on course for a degree in their chosen major and 1 point for being retained (or graduating) at the end of each academic term. For schools that do not offer athletics scholarships, recruited student-athletes are tracked.
This is the fourth consecutive year of publicly reported APRs after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the Division I board approved the release of APR scores but voted to continue the suspension of program penalties. Normal Academic Performance Program operations with program penalties and loss of access to postseason competition were originally scheduled to resume in spring 2024, but the Division I Committee on Academics decided not to enforce the loss of access to postseason competition for teams that scored lower than 930 last year, instead offering a conditional waiver due to lingering impacts of the pandemic.
However, normal operations are being enforced this year for teams scoring below the 930 benchmark, with strategic penalties that encourage an emphasis and prioritization on academics.
In all, 11 of EMU's sports posted multi-year scores equal to or better than the 2022-23 report. The largest increases came from the football program (improving from 968 to 977) and women's golf (climbing from 992 to 1000). Rowing and gymnastics also improved five points.
Additionally, five of the Eagles' teams ranked in the top half of the Mid-American Conference.
In the past 21 years of the Academic Performance Program, nearly 22,000 student-athletes have gone back to school to earn their degrees and APR points for their former team. For football (6,428), baseball (2,416), and men's (1,657) and women's basketball (761), more than 11,000 former student-athletes have returned to college and earned degrees. These student-athletes are typically not counted in the federal graduation rate or Graduation Success Rate calculations.
Dave Schnase, NCAA vice president of academic and membership affairs, said, "As the college athletics landscape continues to evolve, what remains unchanged is the academic success of student-athletes. We applaud the incredible academic achievements of hundreds of thousands of student-athletes and the support provided by their schools. We are committed to supporting the continued advancement of their academic success and athletic pursuits."
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University Department of Athletics continues to thrive academically in the Academic Progress Rate (APR), as released by the NCAA today, May 6.
The APR marks are a four-year composite, covering the 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 school years, taking a real-time look at the academic success of scholarship student-athletes. The APR measures academic eligibility, retention, and graduation.
Every Division I sports team across the nation calculates its APR each academic year, similar to a report card. Each semester, scholarship student-athletes earn one point for remaining eligible and one point for staying in school or graduating.
The men's cross country team, women's golf, and women's tennis teams posted a perfect 1,000 multi-year rate in the latest report. Meanwhile, a total of eight teams (men's basketball, men's cross country, men's track & field, women's cross country, women's golf, women's gymnastics, women's lacrosse, and women's tennis) had perfect single-year scores of 1,000 in 2023-24.
"We prepare our student-athletes to achieve academic and athletic excellence," EMU Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee said. "Consistent with our mission, we take great pride in how our student-athletes embody the highest standards of excellence in the classroom, on the field, and how they are engaged in the community. Our faculty, staff, coaches, and administration work tirelessly to assist our student-athletes in achieving their goals, including their academic and athletic endeavors."
The four-year Academic Progress Rate national average for Division I teams remained steady at 984 this year, as the division marked the 21st anniversary of APR data collection. During those 21 years, overall student-athlete academic success has risen substantially.
Each academic year, every Division I sports team's APR is calculated using a simple and consistent formula. Scholarship student-athletes can earn 1 point for staying on course for a degree in their chosen major and 1 point for being retained (or graduating) at the end of each academic term. For schools that do not offer athletics scholarships, recruited student-athletes are tracked.
This is the fourth consecutive year of publicly reported APRs after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the Division I board approved the release of APR scores but voted to continue the suspension of program penalties. Normal Academic Performance Program operations with program penalties and loss of access to postseason competition were originally scheduled to resume in spring 2024, but the Division I Committee on Academics decided not to enforce the loss of access to postseason competition for teams that scored lower than 930 last year, instead offering a conditional waiver due to lingering impacts of the pandemic.
However, normal operations are being enforced this year for teams scoring below the 930 benchmark, with strategic penalties that encourage an emphasis and prioritization on academics.
In all, 11 of EMU's sports posted multi-year scores equal to or better than the 2022-23 report. The largest increases came from the football program (improving from 968 to 977) and women's golf (climbing from 992 to 1000). Rowing and gymnastics also improved five points.
Additionally, five of the Eagles' teams ranked in the top half of the Mid-American Conference.
In the past 21 years of the Academic Performance Program, nearly 22,000 student-athletes have gone back to school to earn their degrees and APR points for their former team. For football (6,428), baseball (2,416), and men's (1,657) and women's basketball (761), more than 11,000 former student-athletes have returned to college and earned degrees. These student-athletes are typically not counted in the federal graduation rate or Graduation Success Rate calculations.
Dave Schnase, NCAA vice president of academic and membership affairs, said, "As the college athletics landscape continues to evolve, what remains unchanged is the academic success of student-athletes. We applaud the incredible academic achievements of hundreds of thousands of student-athletes and the support provided by their schools. We are committed to supporting the continued advancement of their academic success and athletic pursuits."
🎥 Eastern in 60 Seconds: Part 8
Tuesday, October 14
Season 8 - Episode 8: Defensive Strength vs. NIU and Hall of Fame Excellence
Monday, October 13
EMU Football Pregame Press Conference: Week 8 at Miami
Monday, October 13
Elite bench squad😤
Monday, October 13