INDIANAPOLIS – The University of Dayton Division of Athletics is annually one of the top academic performers in the nation according to the NCAA's Academic Progress Report (APR) with this year's version released Wednesday.

"I am so pleased that the Academic Progress Rates continues to rise, but I am more excited about what those numbers mean: Thousands of college athletes continue to make real progress toward earning their degrees," said NCAA President Mark Emmert. "A college degree, combined with the skills they learn while participating in sports, will provide countless opportunities for them later in life."

Seven Dayton athletics programs had perfect 1000 scores: men's golf, men's tennis, softball, women's cross country, women's golf, women's tennis, and volleyball. Women's golf and men's golf have had perfect scores all 11 years of the report.

Here are some noteworthy performances by Dayton programs:

• Softball is one of two schools in the A-10 and the only program in the state of Ohio with a perfect score.
• Volleyball is one of four programs in the A-10 and one of five schools in the state of Ohio with a perfect score.
• Women's cross country is first in the A-10, Ohio, and nationally.
• Women's tennis is one of seven schools in the A-10 and one of five in the state of Ohio with a perfect score.
• Men's tennis is the only program in the state of Ohio with a perfect score and one of eight in the A-10.
• Men's golf is one of five in the A-10 and one of four in the state of Ohio with a perfect score.
• Women's golf is one of three in the MAAC and one of six programs in the state of Ohio with a perfect score.
• Football is tied for 13^th nationally with Wisconsin and Yale, and has the top score in the PFL and state of Ohio.
• Women's track and field is second in the state of Ohio and fifth-best nationally, equal with Yale and ahead of Brown and Harvard.
• Women's soccer is seventh in the state of Ohio and improved by three points from last year's score to 991.
• Men's cross country is third in the state of Ohio after improving its score to 991.
• Men's soccer ranks second in the state of Ohio and recorded its highest score in program history, improving its score by 19 points.
• Women's basketball maintained a 990 for the second consecutive year.
• Baseball ranks fifth in the A-10 and sixth in the state of Ohio.

Every Division I sports team across the nation calculates its Academic Progress Rate each academic year, like a report card. Scholarship student-athletes each semester earn one point for remaining eligible and one point for staying in school or graduating. At schools that don't offer scholarships, recruited student-athletes are tracked.
 

Last week, eight Dayton programs were honored with APR Recognition Awards. Football, men's golf, and women's golf have been recognized all 12 years, and were joined this year by women's cross country, softball, men's tennis, women's tennis, and volleyball. Those honors are given to Division I teams that are ranked in the Top 10 percent of the latest APR scores.