Each year, the NCAA honors selected Division I sports teams by publicly recognizing their latest multi-year NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate (APR).  This announcement is part of the overall Division I academic reform effort and is intended to highlight teams that demonstrate a commitment to academic progress and retention of student-athletes by achieving the top APRs within their respective sports.  Specifically, these teams posted multiyear APRs in the top 10 percent of all squads in each sport. 
 
The APR provides a real-time look at a team's 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.  The most recent multi-year APRs are based on scores from the 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 academic years.
 
The only student-athletes that figure into a team and institution's APR are those receiving athletic financial aid.  A student-athlete receiving athletic financial aid has the opportunity to earn two points each semester – an eligibility point and a retention point.  Thus, a student-athlete has the opportunity to earn up to four points each academic year for his/her team and institution.
 
The four-year APR scores for all of WSU's 15 sports programs registered a 966 or above to be in good standing established by the NCAA's standards.  A program is in good standing if it registers a multi-year rate of 930 or above.  A team must achieve a 930 four-year rate in order to be eligible for competition in NCAA post-season play.
 
Wichita State University received two APR Public Recognition Awards for the 2017-18 academic year – Men's Golf and Men's Tennis.  The Volleyball team previously received seven consecutive APR Public Recognition awards - 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15.  The Women's Golf team received four consecutive APR Public Recognition awards – 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16.  The Men's Cross Country team won an APR Public Recognition award in 2013-14.  The Men's Golf and Women's Tennis teams received a Public Recognition Award in 2010-11.