OXFORD — Four University of Mississippi teams and two University of Alabama teams were recognized Thursday as elite academic programs in the country in their sport with the NCAA’s announcement of the public recognition awards.
The Ole Miss men’s basketball, women’s basketball, softball, and women’s golf programs and the Alabama women’s golf and women’s tennis programs received the prestigious honor for their latest Academic Progress Rates (APR).
Among Southeastern Conference institutions, Ole Miss’ total of four teams is second only to Vanderbilt in the number of its programs to win the award this year.
The teams that are recognized posted multi-year APRs in the top 10 percent of all squads in each sport.
Each year the NCAA honors selected Division I sports teams by publicly recognizing their latest multi-year APR. This announcement is part of the overall Division I academic reform effort and is intended to highlight teams who demonstrate a commitment to academic progress and retention of student-athletes by achieving the top APRs within their respective sports.
Andy Kennedy’s men’s basketball team was the only SEC program to make the list and one of only 38 Division I teams overall. After winning 20 games and making another postseason appearance in 2011-12, Rebel seniors Terrance Henry and Steadman Short earned their bachelor’s degrees. Meanwhile, rising senior Nick Williams has also already completed requirements for his first bachelor’s degree and will pursue a second degree this upcoming year.
Ole Miss is among only 41 Division I women’s basketball teams and two SEC squads to earn the distinction, along with Tennessee. Seniors Nikki Byrd and Whitney Hameth graduated following their Rebel careers on the hardwood and point guard Valencia McFarland was an All-SEC selection.
The softball team makes the list for the second straight year and is among just 30 Division I teams and only two SEC squads to receive the distinction this year, along with Florida. Highlighting the softball team this year, RT Cantillo was named All-SEC and Allison Brown made the SEC All-Freshman team. Four Rebel seniors earned their bachelor’s degree.
Michele Drinkard’s women’s golf team makes the list for the fourth straight year. This year, Ole Miss is among 75 Division I women’s golf teams and four SEC squads to earn the distinction. The Rebel golfers also earned their fourth straight NCAA berth this year and had seniors Ashley Lance and Haley Millsap both graduate magna cum laude.
This is the second year in a row Alabama’s women’s golf squad has earned the honor. It is the first such honor for the school’s women’s tennis team.
The Alabama women’s golf team won its first NCAA Championship in May. The women’s tennis team finished the season ranked 11th after playing host to its first NCAA Regional, where it advanced to the championship match.
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