LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Rider University women's basketball, women's cross country and women's tennis teams have been recognized by the NCAA for perfect Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores in the 2020-21 academic year. The women's tennis program has now been honored in each of the last three seasons that the award has been presented and eight of the last 12 years. Women's cross country has also been honored in seven of the last 10 years.

The public announcement of APRs returned after a one-year hiatus. This spring, the Division I Board of Directors approved the continual suspension of APR penalties for an additional year due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, it supported the public release of the APR data.

"Within the Rider Athletic Department, academic and athletic success are equally prioritized," said Greg Busch, Rider Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Internal Operations and Compliance. "It is therefore a source of great pride for us to have three of our teams receive these public recognition awards from the NCAA."

Each academic year, every Division I sports team across the country calculates its APR using a simple and consistent formula. Each term, scholarship student-athletes can earn 1 point for remaining eligible and 1 point for staying in school or graduating. For schools that do not offer scholarships, recruited student-athletes are tracked.

The Academic Performance Program has established an essential framework for academic excellence. The program provides measurable goals to ensure schools are fulfilling their commitment of equipping student-athletes with the tools and resources necessary to achieve academic success.