Ball State University Athletics

Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services
Ball State Athletics Continue to Soar in Latest NCAA APR Report
May 19, 2020 | General
MUNCIE, Ind. – More than 70 percent of Ball State's varsity athletic teams exceeded the national average in the latest multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores released Tuesday by the NCAA. Three teams – men's tennis, women's cross country and women's tennis – posted perfect multi-year APR scores of 1,000.
The APR, created to provide more of a real-time measurement of academic success than graduation rates offer, is a team-based metric in which scholarship student-athletes earn one point each term for remaining eligible and one point for staying in school or graduating. Schools that don't offer scholarships track their recruited student-athletes. The nationwide APR average was 983 for the third consecutive year, the highest in the 15-year history of the program.
Besides men's tennis, women's cross country and women's tennis, 10 other programs posted multi-year APR scores above the national average – women's swimming & diving (997), men's volleyball (996), softball (994), men's swimming & diving (993), men's basketball (990), soccer (990), women's track & field (987), men's golf (986), women's basketball (986) and field hockey (984).
Fourteen of Ball State's 18 teams (indoor and outdoor track combined as one) either matched or exceeded last year's APR score. Men's basketball made the biggest jump among Ball State squads, climbing 14 points to 990. Men's golf and football also saw jumps of at least 10 points.
The numbers announced this week include data for the four-year period from 2015-16 through 2018-19. All of Ball State's teams easily cleared the multi-year benchmark score of 930 required to have access to NCAA postseason play. The average for the Cardinals' 18 teams was nearly 987.
Perfect single-year scores for 2018-19 were accomplished by 13 teams – men's basketball, men's golf, men's tennis, men's volleyball, women's basketball, women's cross country, women's golf, softball, soccer, women's swimming & diving, women's tennis, women's track & field and women's volleyball. Ball State's single-year departmental APR mark of 991 is a school record and tied for the highest in the MAC with Toledo.
For the complete NCAA APR searchable database, click here.
The APR, created to provide more of a real-time measurement of academic success than graduation rates offer, is a team-based metric in which scholarship student-athletes earn one point each term for remaining eligible and one point for staying in school or graduating. Schools that don't offer scholarships track their recruited student-athletes. The nationwide APR average was 983 for the third consecutive year, the highest in the 15-year history of the program.
Besides men's tennis, women's cross country and women's tennis, 10 other programs posted multi-year APR scores above the national average – women's swimming & diving (997), men's volleyball (996), softball (994), men's swimming & diving (993), men's basketball (990), soccer (990), women's track & field (987), men's golf (986), women's basketball (986) and field hockey (984).
Fourteen of Ball State's 18 teams (indoor and outdoor track combined as one) either matched or exceeded last year's APR score. Men's basketball made the biggest jump among Ball State squads, climbing 14 points to 990. Men's golf and football also saw jumps of at least 10 points.
The numbers announced this week include data for the four-year period from 2015-16 through 2018-19. All of Ball State's teams easily cleared the multi-year benchmark score of 930 required to have access to NCAA postseason play. The average for the Cardinals' 18 teams was nearly 987.
Perfect single-year scores for 2018-19 were accomplished by 13 teams – men's basketball, men's golf, men's tennis, men's volleyball, women's basketball, women's cross country, women's golf, softball, soccer, women's swimming & diving, women's tennis, women's track & field and women's volleyball. Ball State's single-year departmental APR mark of 991 is a school record and tied for the highest in the MAC with Toledo.
For the complete NCAA APR searchable database, click here.
Women's Basketball // reBuilt Different Episode 1 featuring Grace Kingery
Thursday, April 02
Football // Ryan Lezon Mic'd Up
Thursday, April 02
Men's Basketball // Coach Capko Mic'd Up in Worthen Arena for the 1st time
Wednesday, April 01
2026 One Ball State Day - Football
Tuesday, March 31



