Arkansas Women’s Golf Earns APR National Recognition

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – For the eighth time, including the fourth-consecutive year, the University of Arkansas women’s golf program earned a public recognition award for its exemplary academic performance from the NCAA on Wednesday. The Razorbacks’ women’s golf program was honored for its standing among the top 10 percent of academic performing teams in the country among women’s golf programs in the multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) for the 2015-16 academic year. The eight recognitions for women’s golf is a program record.

“My most important goal as a coach is to enrich the lives of the student-athletes who are in my program,” Arkansas head women’s golf coach Shauna Estes-Taylor said. “That extends beyond the golf course and I take great pride in knowing our team is consistently successful in the classroom. It takes a lot of effort and mental toughness to reach your goals on the golf course but we put just as much effort into reaching our goals in the classroom. I want to congratulate my players, their academic counselors and our support staff for continuing to achieve at the highest levels.”

The women’s golf program earned a perfect 1,000 multiyear APR rate based on scores from the 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 academic years. In addition to this year’s selection, the Razorback women’s golf program was previously recognized for the 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons.

“Congratulations to Coach Shauna Estes-Taylor, assistant coach Mike Adams and especially the young women who have been a part of our women’s golf program for this outstanding accomplishment,” Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long said. “For a record eighth time, our women’s golf program has proven that competing at a national level works hand in hand with academic success. We wish them continued success in the classroom and in Columbus, Ohio where they will begin their NCAA Championships journey.”

Each year, the NCAA honors selected Division I sports teams by publicly recognizing their latest multiyear NCAA Division I APR.  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.

The APR provides a real-time look at a team’s academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete on scholarship.  The APR accounts for eligibility, retention and graduation and provides a measure of each team’s academic performance. The NCAA is announcing multiyear APR scores for all Division I teams, including those earning public recognition awards, on May 10.

The University of Arkansas has earned a public recognition award in 11 of the 12 years since the program was initiated. In addition to women’s golf, five other programs have previously been recognized.

Men’s golf and volleyball were both recognized in 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14. Gymnastics was recognized in 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12. Men’s tennis was honored in 2010-11 and 2011-12. Swimming and diving was one of five programs, a school record, recognized in 2011-12 joining men’s golf, men’s tennis, gymnastics and volleyball.