Tennessee Tech Athletics Posts Elite Academic Progress Rate Across Programs

COOKEVILLE, TN - Tennessee Tech student-athletes continued to demonstrate excellence in the classroom, as reflected in the NCAA’s latest Academic Progress Rate (APR) report—covering the 2021-25 academic years.

The multiyear APR is a key NCAA metric that measures academic achievement, eligibility, and retention. Programs scoring 930 or higher meet the benchmark for postseason eligibility, and Tennessee Tech’s teams once again exceeded that standard across the board.

Programs Earn Near-Perfect and Perfect APR Scores

Tennessee Tech posted multiple programs with near-perfect or perfect multiyear APR marks, including several teams achieving a 1,000 rating.

Women’s programs leading the way:

Women’s Volleyball: 1,000

Women’s Soccer: 995

Women’s Golf: 993

Women’s Track: 993

Women’s Cross Country: 989

Women’s Beach Volleyball does not have a multiyear APR rate due to being in its third year of existence.

Men’s top performers include:

Baseball: 985

Men’s Cross Country: 980

Men’s Tennis: 979

Larger roster sports also remained strong, with Football (968) and Men’s Basketball (967) both comfortably above the NCAA benchmark—showing steady academic progress.

“Raising the Standard” in the Classroom and on the Field

“Our student-athletes continue to raise the standard for what it means to succeed at Tennessee Tech,” said Director of Athletics Casey Fox. “These APR scores reflect the commitment, discipline, and support system that our programs have built. We are proud of the work our student-athletes put in every day in the classroom, and this achievement is a direct result of their dedication to excellence.”

Division I APR Trends Show Continued Growth Nationwide

Division I student-athlete academics remain a priority nationally as well. The national four-year APR for Division I teams rose by 2 points to 986, marking an uptick from the prior four consecutive years of a steady rate.

Sport averages for the four years ending in 2024-25 also increased, including:

Men’s Basketball: +3 (971)

Women’s Basketball: +3 (984)

Football Bowl Subdivision: +2 (971)

Baseball: +1 (980)

Football Championship Subdivision: +1 (959)

Former Student-Athletes Return to Finish Their Degrees

The Academic Performance Program highlights how many former student-athletes return to complete their degrees after exhausting athletics eligibility. In the past 22 years, more than 22,400 former student-athletes have returned to earn degrees and APR points for their teams—often not reflected in federal graduation rate or Graduation Success Rate calculations.

How APR Is Calculated

Each academic year, Division I team APR is calculated using a consistent formula. Scholarship student-athletes can earn 1 point for staying on track for their degree and 1 point for retention (or graduation) at the end of each academic term. Teams’ total points are divided by points possible and multiplied by 1,000. Non-scholarship recruited student-athletes are tracked as well.

Tennessee Tech Continues to Lead Beyond Athletics

Tennessee Tech is also recognized as a top national university by U.S. News & World Report (2026)—ranked #198 among national universities and among the top two public universities in Tennessee—valued for strong return on investment, including the highest starting salary and lowest debt for graduates among public universities in the state.