Three Atlantic Hockey Schools post perfect 1000 Academic Progress Rate

The NCAA has just released the Academic Progress Rate (APR) for the 2004-05 academic year and American International, Holy Cross and Sacred Heart posted a perfect 1000 APR.  Atlantic Hockey tied the ECACHL for the most schools with a perfect 1000, as Harvard, Rensselaer and Yale accomplished this feat.  The only other ice hockey school that posted the perfect score was the University of Notre Dame (CCHA).

The average of the eight ice hockey playing institutions was higher than the average of all 58 Division I ice hockey schools.  Atlantic Hockey’s average was 980, while the overall ice hockey average was 971.  No Atlantic Hockey school was below the 925 score, in which the NCAA would implement contemporaneous penalties for all schools that fall below the 925 score.

This is the second year of the APR developed by the NCAA.  The APR examines academic success on a more real-time basis. One point is awarded each term to each scholarship student-athlete who meets academic-eligibility standards and an additional point is awarded if they remain with the institution. A team's APR is the total points earned by the team at a given time divided by the total points possible. A cutoff score of 925 corresponds to an anticipated graduation-rate of about 50%.

Teams that fall below the cutoff score on a statistitically-significant basis are subject to contemporaneous penalties consisting of a loss of scholarships in that sport. These penalties start after two years of data are collected and normally take effect the following academic year. Teams that habititually fail to meet the cutoff can be subject to historical penalties. Historical penalties may include additional scholarship reductions, recruiting restrictions, lack of access to postseason competition, and restricted membership.

Here is a complete list of all Atlantic Hockey schools with their APR for the 2004-05 academic year:


American International College         1000
U.S. Military Academy (Army)           954
Bentley College                                992
Canisius College                               986
University of Connecticut                   942
College of Holy Cross                      1000
Mercyhurst College                           970
Sacred Heart                                  1000