HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky University's Department of Athletics, which boasts strong academic performance among its student-athletes, saw five of its programs earn Academic Progress Rate (APR) Public Recognition Awards from the NCAA on Wednesday. Baseball, men's cross country, men's track & field, women's cross country and women's tennis each earned recognition with the APR Award, which was presented to teams whose 2017-18 APR scores were among the top 10 percent of all squads in the teams' respective sports.
 
This marks the third year in a row Norse women's tennis earned public recognition for its APR score, while both the men's cross country and track & field teams earned the honor for a second-straight year.
 
NKU's student-athletes have demonstrated incredible success in the classroom, posting department-record cumulative grade point averages of 3.46 and 3.47 in the last two semesters. The Norse are riding streaks of 15-straight semesters with GPAs above a 3.0 and nine-consecutive above a 3.2.
 
"The success Norse student-athletes have shown academically is a testament to their commitment to excelling in both their athletic and academic endeavors," said Debbie Kirch, Associate Athletic Director for Compliance and Student Services. "It begins with our coaches placing an emphasis on recruiting exceptional student-athletes and maintaining a commitment to developing well-rounded Norse throughout their time at NKU. The culture of academic success established by our coaches and student-athletes is evident through the Public Recognition Awards."