The Canisius College golf program 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 sports in the NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate (APR).

The Canisius golf team is one of three men's golf programs in the MAAC to receive the honor for 2010-11, joining with conference rivals Fairfield and Iona. Since this program was put into place by the NCAA in 2004-05, only four MAAC golf teams have been recognized for this honor, and this year marks the first time the Golden Griffins have received the accolades. 

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.