INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- Five University of Delaware athletics teams were among over 800 Division I sports teams earning public recognition awards recently by the NCAA for their latest Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores.

The Blue Hen men’s cross country, men’s track and field, women’s cross country, women’s track and field, and women’s tennis teams all were honored for posting multi-year APR scores in the top 10 percent of all squads in their respective sports. The public recognition awards are part of the broad Division I academic reform effort.

The 839 teams receiving awards this year represent 217 Division I colleges and universities, or two-thirds of the 326 institutions that compete in NCAA Division I athletics. High-performing teams receiving awards posted APR scores ranging from 975 to a perfect 1,000, said NCAA President Myles Brand.

“These teams prove once again that student-athlete are students first, and many of them are excellent students,” said Brand. “I want to personally congratulate these teams and their student-athletes who are working hard in their sport and in the classroom and setting a great example for all students.”

Among Colonial Athletic Association schools, only William & Mary and James Madison had more teams honored by the NCAA than Delaware. William & Mary had 13 teams recognized while James Madison had six, Delaware had five, UNC Wilmington and Virginia Commonwealth had three teams each, Hofstra and George Mason each had two teams honored, and Drexel and Towson each had one team honored.

Throughout the NCAA, women’s tennis teams were the most honored with 64 teams earning recognition followed by women’s volleyball (54), women’s golf (52), men’s golf (51), women’s cross country (49), and women’s tennis (40).

The Delaware men’s track and cross country programs are led by head coach Jim Fischer, the women’s track and cross country programs are led by Sue McGrath-Powell, and the Blue Hen women’s tennis program is led by head coach Laura Travis.