Cal scores second highest single year APR score

Bears are working in the classroom and in their sport

Cal Athletics announced its second-best one-year mark ever for its APR (Academic Progress Rate). The department recorded a 989 score, which is reflective of 13 programs showing improvement from the previous score announced two years ago. 21 of 26 measured programs at Cal had matched or outgained their 2020 score.

Photo Credit: Calbears.com & Steve McConnell

Nine of Cal's athletic programs recorded perfect multi-year scores of 1,000 – men's cross country, men's gymnastics, field hockey, women's golf, women's gymnastics, lacrosse, women's soccer, women's tennis and volleyball. Those marks, which are calculated from the previous four years of data, are one off the school record.

"We are excited with our latest APR scores," Cal Director of Athletics Jim Knowlton said. "Our student-athletes remain committed to excelling academically, and they continue to do so with the support of coaches, staff and the entire Cal Athletics community – including the dedicated professionals at our Athletic Study Center. It is clear the Cal culture supports our student-athletes as they excel at the top public university in the country."

The APR was created to be more of a real-time measurement of academic success than graduation rates. It is a team-based metric in which scholarship student-athletes earn one point for each team for remaining eligible and one point for staying in school or graduating.

Men's basketball showed a 14-point improvement and matched its all-time high with a 970. Football improved by three points over the last set of data and had a 975, four points off its record. Men's gymnastics improved by 20 points and hit the 1,000-mark for the first time.

Men's swimming also set a program high with a 990. Cal had 16 programs record multi-year scores of 990 or better.

In the one-year data that is calculated just based on the 2020-21 academic year, Cal matched a school record with 16 programs scoring 1,000. Men's Tennis was perfect for the 14th time – which covers every year the APR has existed. Women's golf scored 1,000 for the eighth straight time.

Congrats to the Bears for their achievements in the classroom!