MILWAUKEE – Five programs in the Milwaukee Athletics Department were honored as part of the NCAA APR Public Recognition Awards for outstanding academic achievements based on the most recent multi-year NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate (APR), released Tuesday by the NCAA national office.

Milwaukee women's basketball (APR of 1,000), men's cross country (1,000), women's cross country (1,000), women's tennis (1,000) and men's track & field (996) are the five programs named to the prestigious lists revealed today.
 
"To be included in this yearly honor remains a testament to our amazing student-athletes and their commitment to achieve success inside and outside of the classroom," Director of Athletics Amanda Braun said. "We remain extremely proud of the combined efforts of both the Milwaukee Athletics department and University leadership, as well as these APR achievements."
 
The women's basketball program is one of 51 schools honored across the NCAA and one of just two Horizon League members on the WBB list.
 
Men's cross country is among 89 total schools named, as well as the only Horizon League member. Men's track & field is one of just 30 schools on its list, again one of just two league members.
 
Women's cross country is one of 124 schools, while women's tennis is one of 132 programs.
  
The Panthers were recognized for ranking in the Top 10 percent of their respective sport across the NCAA Division I level. The most recent APRs are multiyear rates based on scores from the 2015-16 through the 2018-19 academic years.
 
The APR is an annual scorecard of academic achievement calculated for all Division I sports teams.
 
Teams earning Public Recognition Awards increased to 1,380, up by 52 from the previous academic year, largely due to an increase in squads with perfect scores. APRs for programs in the top 10% ranged from 987 to a perfect 1,000. The number of teams posting perfect scores increased to 1,266, an increase of 52 teams from last year.
 
Of the teams recognized, 499 competed in men's or mixed sports and 881 competed in women's sports. Every women's team earning a Public Recognition Award this year also earned a perfect score.
 
Each year, the NCAA honors selected Division I sports teams by publicly recognizing their latest multiyear NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate.  This announcement is part of the overall Division I academic reform effort and is intended to highlight teams that demonstrate a commitment to academic progress and retention of student-athletes by achieving the top APRs within their respective sports. Specifically, these teams posted multiyear APRs in the top 10 percent of all squads in each sport.