For the third time in the last four years, the Canisius College volleyball team has received an NCAA Division I Academic Performance Program public recognition award, the NCAA announced today. The public recognition awards are presented to the best academically performing teams that rank in the top 10 percent within their sport in the NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate (APR). 

The Golden Griffins are the only MAAC volleyball team to receive the honor in 2009-10 and the only MAAC volleyball program to receive the award three times in the last four years. Canisius also received the award in 2006-07 and 2007-08.

"This is an outstanding public acknowledgement for the hard work and dedication the student-athletes in our volleyball program put forth in the classroom," Canisius Director of Athletics Bill Maher said. "We are proud of our student-athletes for their efforts to balance their academic and athletic experiences and by our volleyball coaching staff's emphasis to be recognized in the top 10 percent of the NCAA in the APR.

Each year the NCAA honors selected Division I sports teams by publicly recognizing their latest multiyear 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. Specifically, these teams posted multiyear APRs in the top 10 percent of all squads in each sport.

The APR provides a real-time look at a team's academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete on scholarship. The APR accounts for eligibility, retention and graduation and provides a measure of each team's academic performance.

Multiyear APRs for all Division I sports teams, including the teams receiving public recognition, will be announced at a later date.