Collegiate Water Polo Association Rates Among Best in 2015-16 National Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Water Polo Academic Progress Rate Rankings

BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has released the latest women’s water polo Division I Academic Progress Rate report for the 2015-16 academic with the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) among the nation’s leaders once again.

The only water polo conference to better the NCAA average each year since the first APR rankings were released following the 2004-05 season, the CWPA posted a 991 APR to best the sport’s average APR for the 13th consecutive year.

The CWPA ranks among the nation’s best in part due to perfect score performances by George Washington University and Brown University which tied with San Jose State University, Stanford University and the University of California-Los Angeles of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF), along with Siena College, Villanova University and Wagner College of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). Overall, five of the eight teams that garnered perfect 1,000 point scores hail from an East Coast conference as Stanford, Santa Clara and UCLA rate as the only West Coast schools to equal the best of the CWPA and MAAC.

Bucknell University (992) and Princeton University (992) are tied at No. 15 with Arizona State University (MPSF) and California State University-Northridge (Big West Conference), while Indiana University (989) rates in a tie with Loyola Marymount University (Golden Coast Conference) at No. 20.

Harvard University (985) is tied at No. 24 with Marist College (MAAC), while Hartwick College (983) and the University of Michigan (983) rate in a tie at No. 26 to complete the CWPA institutions in the NCAA APR rankings.

The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation leads all conferences with an average score of 993.  The MPSF and CWPA (991) rate as the only conferences to better the NCAA women’s water polo average (989), while the Big West (988), Golden Coast (987) and MAAC (980) fall below the NCAA average.

The MPSF’s score of 993 ties the all-time best APR score of 993 established by the CWPA last year.  Further, the entirety of women’s water polo established a new high mark as the 32 schools combined to post an average score of 989 to erase the previous high mark of 987 established the past two seasons.

Since the rankings began following the 2004-05 season, the Collegiate Water Polo Association has posted scores of 993 (2014-2015), 992 (2013-2014), 991 (2015-2016), 989 (2012-2013), 985 (2011-2012, 2009-2010), 984 (2010-2011, 2005-2006), 983 (2008-2009, 2007-2008, 2006-2007) and 980 (2004-2005).

CWPA teams that are either not defined as Division I institutions (Carthage College, Connecticut College, Grove City College,  Macalester College, Monmouth College, Pennsylvania State-Behrend, Utica College, Washington & Jefferson College) or did not field varsity teams in 2015-2016 (Saint Francis University) are not factored in the report.

Women’s water polo, although sponsored by a number of Division I institutions, is considered a non-divisional sport due to the lack of a unique NCAA Division II or III championship, and thus the programs that compete in the CWPA span Division I, II and III.

Weighed against the other women’s NCAA Championship sports, water polo (989) is tied for eighth in average APR with field hockey (989).  Gymnastics (994) tops the list, with skiing (993) and beach volleyball (993) tied at No. 2. Ice hockey (992), swimming (991), golf (990) and lacrosse (990) comprise the remainder of the seven sports in front of women’s water polo.

Rowing (988), tennis (988), cross-country (988), volleyball (987), soccer (986), softball (983), track & field (982), basketball (980), fencing (980) and bowling (974) complete the list of 19 NCAA women’s championship sports.

A measuring stick for the NCAA in determining academic success, the APR provides a real-time look at a team’s academic success each semester or quarter by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete. The APR includes eligibility, retention, and graduation in the calculation and provides a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport.

Each student-athlete receiving athletically related financial aid earns one retention point for staying in school and one eligibility point for being academically eligible. A team’s total points are divided by points possible and then multiplied by one thousand to equal the team’s Academic Progress Rate score.

The NCAA calculates the rate as a rolling, four-year figure that takes into account all the points student-athletes could earn for remaining in school and academically eligible during that period. Teams that do not earn an Academic Progress Rate above specific benchmarks face penalties ranging from scholarship reductions to more severe sanctions.

Teams must earn a 930 four-year average APR or face consequences intended to direct additional focus on academics.  Those penalties can include practice restrictions and playing-season reductions with the intent to fill time that would have been spent on athletics with academic activities.