Mavericks Garner Three NCAA Public Recognition Awards

Three programs within the Omaha Athletics Department earned Public Recognition Awards from the NCAA, it was announced Wednesday. The Mavericks tied for the second-most programs in the league to garner the honor.

The women's basketball, volleyball and women's tennis teams earned recognition for their academic performances. As a whole, the Summit League saw 20 programs across member institutions garner the honor. This season's awards are based on four-year figures through 2016-17, which looks at programs whose recent multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) are among the top 10 percent 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.

On a national scale, programs earning Public Recognition Awards increased to 1,284, up by 79 from the previous academic year, largely as a result of an increase in perfect scores. Of the teams recognized, 457 competed in men's or mixed sports, and 827 competed in women's sports. APRs for programs in the top 10 percent ranged from 985 to a perfect 1,000, and the number of teams posting perfect scores increased to 1,188, marking an increase of 98 teams from last year.

NCAA Public Recognition Awards

Summit League Membership

• South Dakota (4): Men's Cross Country, Women's Golf, Women's Basketball, Volleyball
  
• Omaha (3): Women's Basketball, Women's Tennis, Volleyball
  
• South Dakota State (3): Men's Golf, Women's Golf, Men's Tennis
  
• Oral Roberts (3): Men's Golf, Women's Golf, Volleyball
  
• North Dakota State (2): Men's Golf, Women's Golf
  
• IUPUI (2): Men's Golf, Women's Golf
  
• Eastern Illinois (1): Women's Swimming and Diving