SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara University was one of six teams in the West Coast Conference to earn Public Recognition Awards, based on their most recent multi-year Academic Progress Rate. The Broncos joined Gonzaga as the only schools with at least six teams honored. These awards are given each year to teams with APRs in the top 10 percent plus ties 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. 

In the past nine years, the Broncos have had nine different teams being honored for their yearly APR.  Those sports are the following: women's water polo (nine years), men's cross country (once), women's rowing (six years), women's soccer (twice), women's tennis (three times), women's outdoor track (seven years), women's golf (once), women's cross country (once), and volleyball (once).

In addition, this year six Bronco teams were honored for their APR's: women's tennis, women's cross country, women's rowing, women's water polo, women's outdoor track, and women's golf.

"Our culture of academic success is exceptionally strong," said Interim Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell.  "I applaud the student-athletes of these six teams for their consistent approach to high academic achievement.  I am grateful to our coaches and academic support staff for creating an environment conducive to making learning a core value in their programs."

The 1,124 teams publicly recognized for high achievement represent 696 women's teams and 428 men's or mixed squads, the highest ever in the decade since the NCAA began the Public Recognition Awards program. In 2014, 1,049 teams were recognized, marking an increase this year of 75 teams.

The scores required to be in the top 10 ranged from 980 to a perfect 1,000, depending on the sport. This year, a record 953 teams earned public recognition with a perfect APR score.

"We congratulate each of the teams and individual student-athletes for their dedication to academic success," said NCAA President Mark Emmert. "This achievement demonstrates their hard work and the commitment of NCAA member schools to provide students with an opportunity to succeed academically and athletically."

The most recent APRs are multi-year rates based on scores from 2010-11, 2011-2012, 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years.