Penn State Football Improves NCAA Academic Score for 2nd Straight Year

Recent NCAA data shows that Penn State's football team improved its Academic Progress Rate (APR) for the second consecutive year, achieving a one-year APR of 976 for 2023-24, though its multi-year score still ranks near the bottom of the Big Ten. Overall, 23 Penn State teams, including all 14 women's programs and key men's teams like basketball and wrestling, earned perfect single-year APR scores of 1,000, highlighting the school's strong academic performance across athletics. Additionally, 11 teams received NCAA Public Recognition Awards for being in the top 10 percent nationally within their sports. The NCAA notes that APR is a key accountability metric for student-athletes’ academic progress and retention. These improvements follow a previously low football APR, which Penn State unsuccessfully appealed, citing transfers and other factors. The data underscores both the football team’s academic recovery and the university’s continued excellence in student-athlete academic achievement.