Three University of Richmond Athletics programs earned perfect scores on the NCAA’s four-year Academic Progress Rate, which tracks schools’ commitment to equipping student-athletes with the tools and resources necessary to achieve academic success.  

Spider field hockey, men's cross country, and women's golf all received the highest possible score of 1,000 for a four-year period through the 2021-22 academic year.

“It is a testament to the work of our faculty, academic support staff, and past and present Spider student-athletes,” said John Hardt, vice president and director of athletics. “I’m thrilled to see them receiving well-earned recognition for their scholastic achievements.”

The teams were three of 13 Richmond programs that earned scores above the Division I average in their sport: baseball, football, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's lacrosse, men's golf, soccer, swimming & diving, and women's track & field.

Each year, Division I sports teams across the country calculate their score using a consistent formula. Scholarship student-athletes each term 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.  
 
“Developing student-athletes who succeed in the classroom and on the field of competition is our most important priority,” Hardt said. “This year’s APR scores are just the latest data point to show that few Division I athletics programs can match Richmond’s record of academic excellence.”

All 16 Spider teams — including indoor and outdoor track & field as one team — received scores of 974 or higher, well above the 930 required by the NCAA.