DALLAS – The Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) has announced that the Texas Southern football program has been named the 2010-11 recipient of the Academic Progress Rate (APR) Most Improved Award for the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
The APR Most Improved Award recognizes one institution at each of the 14 FCS conferences that has the highest APR score improvement from the previous year. In addition, the Association also recognizes one institution from each conference that has the highest overall APR score. In all, 29 awards were given this year, due to a tie in the Ivy League for the highest APR score in 2010-11.
“Our Association is pleased to present these awards to spotlight the true mission of all FCS programs, embracing the academic progress of their student-athletes, who will become leaders in their everyday lives outside of the field,” said FCS ADA President Marilyn McNeil, vice-president/director of athletics at Monmouth . “We are happy to continue to recognize the FCS institutions and their football programs for continuing to reach or maintain exemplary APR scores.”
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) member colleges and universities adopted a comprehensive academic reform package designed to improve the academic success and graduation of all student-athletes. The centerpiece of the package is the academic measurement for teams, known as the APR.
“The 120 point improvement in the Football yearly APR is a significant step in the program meeting the academic objectives,” said TSU Director of Athletics Dr. Charles McClelland. “We are confident that next year’s APR number will complete the process of solidifying the academic success of the TSU Football Student Athletes and it will also remove the program from any APR penalties handed down from the NCAA.”
Dr. McClelland accepted the award on behalf of the football program during the FCS ADA Luncheon sponsored by UPS, on Monday, June 25 in conjunction with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas.
“We’ve implemented several systems aimed at improving and monitoring our student-athletes academic performances,” said TSU Senior Associate Director of Athletics Micheal Moleta. “One of our main objectives throughout the process is to make sure our student-athletes are on pace to graduate. This award definitely shows that the football program is on the right track.”
About the FCS ADA: Now in its 19th year, the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association’s mission is to enhance Football Championship Subdivision football. For more information on the FCS ADA, please visit www.fcsada.com. The FCS ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 47th year. For more information on NACDA and the 12 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.
