INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The UMass Lowell River Hawks continue to epitomize what it means to be student-athletes, as evidenced by the NCAA's latest four-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) report. As a department, UMass Lowell Athletics earned a 989 APR, which not only exceeds the national average of 986, but also marks a four-point improvement from last year, doubling the nationwide average improvement. The impressive metric was led by 10 River Hawk athletic teams that exceeded the NCAA four-year benchmark, including baseball, men's cross country, ice hockey, men's lacrosse, men's track & field, women's cross country, field hockey, women's lacrosse, softball and women's track & field.
 
"Year after year, our student-athletes continue to raise the bar academically, and this latest APR report is a testament to their dedication and discipline," said UMass Lowell Director of Athletics Lynn Coutts. "This success reflects a true team effort, as our coaches and academic support staff also play a vital role in ensuring excellence in the classroom remains a top priority."
 
Each academic year, every Division I sports team across the country calculates its APR using a simple and consistent formula. Each term, scholarship student-athletes can earn one point for remaining eligible, and one point for staying in school or graduating. For schools that do not offer scholarships, recruited student-athletes are tracked.
 
"This data is a reflection of our student-athletes commitment to their academic pursuits and ultimately earning their degree," added Senior Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Excellence Alison Quandt Westgate. 'We pride ourselves on that in River Hawk Nation and I'm proud of how we go about it."
 
Additionally, men's lacrosse, women's basketball, women's cross country, women's lacrosse, softball, women's soccer and women's track & field each earned a perfect annual score of 1,000 for the 2024-25 academic year.
 
The minimum APR academic standard for every Division I athletic program is 930, a standard that all UMass Lowell teams exceeded. The Academic Performance Program has established an essential framework for academic excellence. The program provides measurable goals to ensure schools are fulfilling their commitment of equipping student-athletes with the tools and resources necessary to achieve academic success.