By Regan Hunsaker, SUU Athletics
CEDAR CITY, Utah – Southern Utah University (SUU) Athletics has reached an impressive milestone in the latest NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) report, earning a multi-year APR score of 985, a significant improvement from last year’s 971. The achievement reflects the Thunderbirds’ strong commitment to academic excellence across all sports.
APR is a team-based metric developed by the NCAA to track the academic performance of scholarship student-athletes. Scores are calculated based on eligibility, retention, and graduation, with the NCAA setting a minimum benchmark of 930. Falling below that score can result in penalties. SUU’s 985 places its athletics programs well above that threshold, demonstrating a consistent culture of academic success.
Once again, the Southern Utah gymnastics team led the way, recording a perfect 1000 APR for the second consecutive year, setting the gold standard for academic achievement.
“These results reflect the remarkable efforts of our student-athletes, coaches, and academic support staff,” said Doug Knuth, Southern Utah Director of Athletics. “Raising our APR by 14 points in just one year is no small feat. It speaks volumes about the priority we place on academic performance and personal development at Southern Utah.”
In total, nine SUU programs improved their APR from the previous year, with Volleyball making the biggest leap, gaining 14 points. The Softball and Men’s Track teams also made significant gains of plus nine and seven, respectively. The consistent upward trajectory highlights the comprehensive academic support system in place at SUU.
Southern Utah also achieved an exceptional Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 85%, outpacing the general student population by roughly five percentage points. This reinforces SUU’s commitment to keeping student-athletes eligible and enrolled and ensuring they leave the university with a degree in hand.
Kayla Kovar, Director of Athletic Academic Performance, Said
“In conjunction with the leadership of Senior Associate AD for Administration- Dr. Cedric Brown, Deputy AD for Internal / COO- Todd Brown, and our Director of Athletics- Doug Knuth, the policies and procedures enacted and refined by our academic team played an integral role in this remarkable achievement. My staff, Dexter Humphreys- Athletic Academic Advisor & Aubri Schwartze- GA, and I ensured that all of our student-athletes were provided the academic support and resources necessary to excel in the classroom. Our support, combined with the hard work and drive for excellence of our student-athletes, propelled us to record-breaking heights.”
The APR and GSR results show that Southern Utah Athletics is cultivating champions both on the field and in the classroom, preparing student-athletes for success long after graduation.