KU basketball team receives seventh straight NCAA academic recognition

The Kansas men’s basketball program earned the NCAA’s Public Recognition Award for the seventh straight year after achieving an Academic Progress Rate in the top 10 percent of its sport, the NCAA announced Wednesday.

Kansas was one of 40 NCAA Division I men’s basketball programs to achieve the honor. The streak of seven straight is matched by just 12 other Division I teams.

The KU volleyball program, coming off two straight NCAA Tournament appearances, also achieved its first Public Recognition Award.

The APR metric provides a real-time look at a program’s ability to keep athletes eligible and on track for graduation. The most recent four-year APR score is based on scores from the 2009-10 and 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13 academic years. Programs that don’t reach the 930 APR benchmark risk losing scholarship and postseason eligibility.

Programs’ APR scores are not hurt by athletes that turn pro early, as long as those athletes leave school in good academic standing. APRs for all teams, including access to postseason play and penalties for low-performing teams, will be released May 14.

This story was originally published May 7, 2014 at 2:28 PM with the headline "KU basketball team receives seventh straight NCAA academic recognition."