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Broncos recognized by NCAA for academic success

May 24, 2010

KALAMAZOO--Two Western Michigan University athletic teams have been recognized for placing in the top 10 percent of Division I teams nationwide in academic progress.

The WMU men's basketball team, coached by Steve Hawkins, and women's tennis, coached by Betsy Kuhle, are among some 800 Division I teams that were honored by the NCAA earlier this spring for posting multi-year Academic Progress Rates in the top 10 percent in their respective sports.

WMU was one of just four programs in the Mid-American Conference, and the only one in the MAC West, to have more than one team make the list. Other multiple honorees include Akron, Kent State and Miami.

NCAA APR awards are given each year to teams scoring in the top 10 percent in a measure that provides a real-time look at a team's academic success each semester or quarter by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete. The APR includes eligibility, retention and graduation rates in the calculation and provides a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport.

Across the two WMU sports recognized by the NCAA, the University boasts 11 student-athletes carrying at least a 3.0 GPA, five with a 3.5 GPA or higher and one student-athlete carrying a 4.0 GPA.

The men's basketball team is the only MAC representative in that sport and is being recognized by the NCAA for the third time. Men's basketball also earned NCAA APR recognition in 2007 and 2009. The Broncos have been the premier academic men's basketball program in the MAC with multiple Academic All-Americans (Joe Reitz, David Kool) and 11 of 26 Academic All-MAC selections over the last five seasons. This year, the Broncos (18-15) finished in the top two in the MAC West for the seventh consecutive season and reached the semifinals of the MAC Tournament.

The women's tennis team is one of the top academic programs in the country and is earning NCAA APR recognition for the second time. The Broncos, who also received the honor in 2007, are the only Division I team to earn Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-Academic Team honors every year since the award's inception. This year, WMU extended its streak to 28 consecutive years in the top three of the MAC and reached the finals of the MAC Tournament for the sixth consecutive season.

Multi-year APR scores for all Division I sports teams, including the teams receiving public recognition awards, will be announced later in the year.

History of WMU's top 10 APR honors

2010
Men's basketball
Women's tennis

2009
Men's basketball
Men's soccer
Softball

2008
Baseball
Women's gymnastics
Women's volleyball

2007
Baseball
Men's basketball
Women's gymnastics
Women's tennis
Women's volleyball

2006
Baseball

2005
Baseball

For more information, visit the NCAA Academic Reform website or wmubroncos.com.

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Media contact: Matt Holmes, (269) 387-3168, matt.holmes@wmich.edu

WMU News
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