Football is one of four teams at the University of Hawaii to have an Academic Progress Rate that is above both the national and conference averages in its sport.
Softball, men’s golf and women’s swimming also topped their respective national and conference averages, according to a report presented to the UH Board of Regents Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics.
The NCAA uses the APR to measure academic performance and retention among scholarship athletes.
Football has posted a four-year average of 962, six points above the national average of 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams and four points above the average for the 12 Mountain West Conference members. UH ranked fifth in the MWC in a report compiled by Peter Nicholson, an English professor and UH’s faculty athletic representative.
It has been a significant climb for football, which was penalized three times by the NCAA with scholarship losses between 2004 and 2007. In that period, UH had scores of 898, 902 and 921, all of which fell below the then-minimum standard of 925.
"Football has been great, especially the last two years," athletic director Ben Jay told regents. "I credit that to our coaching staff and the discipline (they instill)."
Coach Norm Chow said, "We’re proud of our kids and have put a lot of emphasis on it and rightfully so. But it is a body of work that a lot of people, the academic counselors and people who really care about academics, share in."
Overall, UH’s four-year all-team average has risen to 968 from 963 in 2005-09. UH’s often-stated goal has been to be in the 50th percentile, which it is currently eight points shy of being.
The report said UH athletes had a mean semester grade-point average of 2.97 last spring and a 3.30 mean cumulative GPA.
Nicholson said recent scores show a trend "that we are recruiting students better able to do the work academically."
MAKING THE GRADE |
(How UH teams stand in the NCAA’s APR) |
TEAM |
UH |
D-I |
Conf. |
Football |
962 |
956 |
958 |
Men’s golf |
984 |
975 |
962 |
Softball |
983 |
980 |
978 |
Women’s swim/dive |
989 |
987 |
988 |
Baseball |
965 |
967 |
961 |
Men’s basketball |
949 |
957 |
946 |
Men’s swim/dive |
965 |
977 |
970 |
Men’s tennis |
955 |
977 |
975 |
Men’s volleyball |
956 |
981 |
980 |
Women’s basketball |
950 |
973 |
967 |
Cross country |
985 |
985 |
986 |
Women’s golf |
950 |
985 |
974 |
Soccer |
971 |
982 |
982 |
Women’s tennis |
976 |
983 |
983 |
Track indoor |
975 |
978 |
979 |
Track outdoor |
975 |
980 |
978 |
Women’s volleyball |
962 |
982 |
971 |
Water polo |
967 |
983 |
978 |
Source: UH |