MONTGOMERY, Ala. | For the second consecutive year, all of the athletic programs at Alabama State University finished above the threshold needed to avoid penalty in the most recent Academic Progress Rate (APR) data released Wednesday by the NCAA.
 
A pair of programs tallied perfect scores from the 2016-17 academic year, with women's cross country earning the distinction for the second consecutive season and women's bowling earning the honor.
 
"This is a great time to be a Hornet," Alabama State interim athletic director Jennifer Lynne Williams said. "Not only are we winning on the field, but we are winning in the classroom. Our student-athletes go out each and every day competing at a high level and winning conference titles, but the biggest reward is to watch them excel in the classroom and graduate from this prestigious university."
 
The football program continues to improve in its multi-year score, as they scored a 931 in last year's multi-year report. They were able to raise that score 16 points to a 947 in the 2016-17 academic year.
 
Five sports were able to score 990 or better for the multi-year rate (2016-17 academic year) that includes women's cross country and women's bowling. The other three sports that were able to score 990 or above include women's basketball (996), women's volleyball (994) and women's soccer (991).
 
All 18 sports reported by the NCAA finished at least 945 or better on the multi-year report, qualifying each for postseason play next season.
 
On the men's side track and field (949), baseball (951), basketball (951), cross country (952), tennis (957) and golf (968) joined football over the threshold. Meanwhile, on the women's side, softball (968), track and field (968), tennis (969) and golf (976) joined the five other teams scoring 990 or above for the multi-year rate.
 
The APR is a measure of student-athlete retention and eligibility. Each student-athlete receiving athletically-related financial aid earns one point for staying in school and one point for being academically eligible. A team's total points are divided by points possible and then multiplied by 1,000 to equal the team's Academic Progress Rate. In addition to a team's current-year APR, its rolling four-year APR is also used to determine eligibility.
 
Currently, teams must earn a 930 four-year average APR or a 950 average over the most recent two years to participate in NCAA championships. Beginning with the 2015-16 academic year and beyond, teams must earn a four-year APR of 930 to compete in championships.

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