The Southern Illinois football program was one of a dozen schools to receive the Most-Improved APR award from the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) on Wednesday. The Association recognized one institution from each FCS conference that improved the most from the previous year.

“On behalf of the FCS ADA I want to congratulate those institutions that have excelled in APR this year,” says University of Montana Athletics Director and current FCS ADA President, Kent Haslam. “Student-athlete retention and eligibility are critical measures of our overall success in college athletics. There are many programs that excel both on the field and in the classroom, and it is an honor to recognize them.”

In 2003, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) member colleges and universities adopted a comprehensive academic reform package designed to improve the academic success and graduation of all student-athletes. The centerpiece of the package is the academic measurement for teams, known as the Academic Progress Rate (APR).