ORLANDO, Fla. -- UCF athletics continues to demonstrate academic excellence across its athletic programs, as highlighted by the latest Academic Progress Rate (APR) data released by the NCAA this week. Several UCF teams achieved perfect multi-year APR scores of 1,000, underscoring the university's commitment to student-athlete success both on and off the field.
The women's volleyball program secured a perfect 1,000 multi-year APR score for the fourth consecutive year and the ninth time in 12 years. Similarly, the women's golf team achieved a perfect score for the fourth straight year, while the men's golf team attained this mark for the third consecutive year. The women's tennis team also reached a perfect 1,000 for the second year in a row and the 10th time in 13 years.
These four programs also received Public Recognition Awards for their academic achievement by ranking in the top 10 percent of their sport nationally in multi-year APR performance. The NCAA’s APR is a team-based metric that accounts for the eligibility, retention, and graduation of each student-athlete, providing a real-time measure of academic progress.
“We’re incredibly proud of the continued academic success of our student-athletes, and this year’s APR scores are a reflection of their hard work and commitment,” said Tara Helton, UCF’s Senior Associate AD for Academics. “These results wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated support of our Academic Services for Student-Athletes (ASSA) team, our coaches, and the entire academic support staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes. We are deeply grateful to everyone who plays a role in fostering an environment where our student-athletes can thrive both in the classroom and in competition.”
In addition to these achievements, seven other UCF programs—football, men's tennis, softball, women's basketball, rowing, women's soccer, and women's track and field—recorded single-year APR scores of 986 or higher, reflecting strong academic performance across the board.
More importantly, none of UCF's teams fell below the NCAA’s multi-year APR threshold of 930, which could result in penalties. This marks the 18th consecutive year that all UCF athletic programs have remained above this benchmark. In fact, every UCF team achieved a multi-year APR score of at least 972 this year, showcasing the university's consistent dedication to academic excellence.
Within the Big 12 Conference, UCF's rowing team led with a 997 score, while men's and women's golf, women's volleyball, and women's tennis each tied for first with perfect scores. Softball ranked third, women's basketball fourth, and football and baseball tied for fifth in multi-year APR scores among conference peers.
Among Football Bowl Subdivision programs in Florida—including UCF, USF, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Florida Atlantic, and Florida International—UCF's football program ranked tied for second with Miami at 986, just behind Florida State's 990. The Knights also led this group in multi-year APR scores for rowing, men's and women's golf, and women's volleyball.
In tandem with strong APR scores, UCF Athletics also posted the highest departmental GPA on record—an impressive 3.47, extending their record-setting streak in the classroom to 35 consecutive semesters with a departmental grade-point average of 3.0 or better—including 12 consecutive semesters with a 3.3 or higher mark.
Among the standout academic achievements, the women’s track and field team led the department with a record-breaking 3.83 GPA. Women’s golf also reached a program-best 3.77, while football posted its highest GPA ever at 3.33. The men’s golf team followed with a strong 3.51, matching women’s tennis, which recorded the second-highest GPA in its history. Men’s basketball achieved its second-best mark at 3.46, and men’s soccer delivered a solid 3.44.
Academic success was widespread across the department:
- Nearly 79% of student-athletes (307 out of 391) earned a 3.0 GPA or higher
- 53 student-athletes achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA
- 162 were named to the Dean’s List
- 38 earned a spot on the President’s List
- 107 qualified for the AD Honor Roll
These accomplishments reflect UCF Athletics' unwavering commitment to fostering an environment where student-athletes can thrive academically and athletically.
This latest release of APR information by the NCAA includes data through the 2023-24 academic year. The APR score takes into account graduation, retention and eligibility to determine a clear picture of the current academic culture of a program. The NCAA uses multi-year averages to track a program's academic progress. The multi-year rate includes the previous four years' worth of data—from 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24.