USC Athletics Earns Successful APR Score
May 06, 2025 | USC Athletics
Sixteen teams equaled or exceeded the national Division I APR average for their sport.
LOS ANGELES – Thirteen USC Athletics programs matched or improved their multiyear Academic Progress Rate scores in 2025, according to data released today by the NCAA.
USC's overall score of 989 is among the best marks in school history and just two points shy of the school record set in 2024 (991). Among the 13 Trojan sports equaling or exceeding their previous scores, nine programs set or equaled their all-time best APR, and 16 USC squads had an APR that was above or equal to the national Division I average for their sport.
"USC is the place to be for student-athletes seeking both a world-class education and an elite athletic experience, and we are incredibly proud of all Trojans who work tirelessly in the classroom to earn their degree from this incredible institution," said Charles Griffin Cale Director of Athletics Jen Cohen. "We are forever grateful for the incredible faculty, staff, coaches, and alumni who support our student-athletes in reaching their full potential in all they do, and we remain unwavering in our commitment to graduate student-athletes who leave USC prepared to make a transformational impact on the world."
USC's 2025 APR score of 989 comes on the heels of a record-breaking year in 2024 when USC set the new record of 991. This year's APR is still one of the highest in the department's history, staying above the 2022 APR of 988.
"We are incredibly proud of our student-athletes, who continue to prove that they can be just as competitive in the classroom as they are in their sport," said Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Academic Success Heather Bell. "Their drive and commitment to excellence have been central to our continued success in APR. Sustaining such a high level of academic achievement — especially through challenging and unprecedented times — reflects not only their dedication, but also the strength and consistency of our academic staff, the invaluable collaboration with our campus partners, and the steadfast commitment of our coaches to academic success. Together, we continue to build and uphold a culture of excellence that extends far beyond the field of play."
Fourteen Trojan programs had at least a 990 APR, including seven at 1,000 (men's basketball, beach volleyball, cross country, women's golf, women's tennis, women's track & field and women's volleyball). It was the 11th consecutive ranking that women's cross country has hit the 1,000 mark, while women's golf (nine) and women's track & field (four) also extended significant streaks. Three programs — men's basketball, women's tennis and women's volleyball — recorded 1,000 for the third straight year, while beach volleyball reached 1,000 for the seventh time in eight all-time rankings since the sport's inception at USC.
In addition to the eight programs that recorded a perfect 1,000 mark, the eight other USC programs this year with at least a 990 APR were men's track & field (995), women's water polo (984), women's swimming & diving (992), men's volleyball (996), men's swimming & diving (990), lacrosse (991), and men's golf (992).
The eight programs that set or equaled all-time high APRs were: men's basketball (1,000), beach volleyball (1,000), cross country (1,000), women's golf (1,000), women's tennis (1,000), women's track & field (1,000), women's volleyball (1,000) and football (976). Football matched its all-time high of 976 from 2024, which is four points better than the program's previous best.
USC's 13 programs that equaled or exceeded their APR score from 2024 were: women's water polo (no change), football (no change), men's golf (+9), lacrosse (+5), men's basketball (no change), cross country (no change), women's golf (no change), beach volleyball (no change), men's swimming & diving (no change), women's tennis (no change), women's track & field (no change), men's volleyball (+4) and women's volleyball (no change).
USC's 16 programs whose multiyear APR exceeded or equaled the national Division I average for their sport were: men's basketball, football, men's swimming & diving, men's golf, men's track & field, men's volleyball, women's basketball, cross country, women's golf, beach volleyball, lacrosse, women's swimming & diving, women's tennis, women's track & field, women's volleyball and women's water polo.
APR accounts for eligibility, retention, and graduation to generate a measure of academic performance. Each year, the APR creates a snapshot of a team's academic success as it tracks the progress of each student-athlete on scholarship. The 2025 APR is a multiyear rate based on scores from the 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 academic years.
APR scores below 930 lead to penalties that include practice restrictions, playing season reductions and postseason ineligibility. The NCAA began tracking APR in 2004-05.
No USC sport was close to the NCAA APR of 930 that leads to penalties. In fact, all USC programs were at least 42 points above that baseline standard. USC's NCAA Graduation Success Rate — announced in November 2024 — hit a new all-time high of 94 percent.
USC's overall score of 989 is among the best marks in school history and just two points shy of the school record set in 2024 (991). Among the 13 Trojan sports equaling or exceeding their previous scores, nine programs set or equaled their all-time best APR, and 16 USC squads had an APR that was above or equal to the national Division I average for their sport.
"USC is the place to be for student-athletes seeking both a world-class education and an elite athletic experience, and we are incredibly proud of all Trojans who work tirelessly in the classroom to earn their degree from this incredible institution," said Charles Griffin Cale Director of Athletics Jen Cohen. "We are forever grateful for the incredible faculty, staff, coaches, and alumni who support our student-athletes in reaching their full potential in all they do, and we remain unwavering in our commitment to graduate student-athletes who leave USC prepared to make a transformational impact on the world."
USC's 2025 APR score of 989 comes on the heels of a record-breaking year in 2024 when USC set the new record of 991. This year's APR is still one of the highest in the department's history, staying above the 2022 APR of 988.
"We are incredibly proud of our student-athletes, who continue to prove that they can be just as competitive in the classroom as they are in their sport," said Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Academic Success Heather Bell. "Their drive and commitment to excellence have been central to our continued success in APR. Sustaining such a high level of academic achievement — especially through challenging and unprecedented times — reflects not only their dedication, but also the strength and consistency of our academic staff, the invaluable collaboration with our campus partners, and the steadfast commitment of our coaches to academic success. Together, we continue to build and uphold a culture of excellence that extends far beyond the field of play."
Fourteen Trojan programs had at least a 990 APR, including seven at 1,000 (men's basketball, beach volleyball, cross country, women's golf, women's tennis, women's track & field and women's volleyball). It was the 11th consecutive ranking that women's cross country has hit the 1,000 mark, while women's golf (nine) and women's track & field (four) also extended significant streaks. Three programs — men's basketball, women's tennis and women's volleyball — recorded 1,000 for the third straight year, while beach volleyball reached 1,000 for the seventh time in eight all-time rankings since the sport's inception at USC.
In addition to the eight programs that recorded a perfect 1,000 mark, the eight other USC programs this year with at least a 990 APR were men's track & field (995), women's water polo (984), women's swimming & diving (992), men's volleyball (996), men's swimming & diving (990), lacrosse (991), and men's golf (992).
The eight programs that set or equaled all-time high APRs were: men's basketball (1,000), beach volleyball (1,000), cross country (1,000), women's golf (1,000), women's tennis (1,000), women's track & field (1,000), women's volleyball (1,000) and football (976). Football matched its all-time high of 976 from 2024, which is four points better than the program's previous best.
USC's 13 programs that equaled or exceeded their APR score from 2024 were: women's water polo (no change), football (no change), men's golf (+9), lacrosse (+5), men's basketball (no change), cross country (no change), women's golf (no change), beach volleyball (no change), men's swimming & diving (no change), women's tennis (no change), women's track & field (no change), men's volleyball (+4) and women's volleyball (no change).
USC's 16 programs whose multiyear APR exceeded or equaled the national Division I average for their sport were: men's basketball, football, men's swimming & diving, men's golf, men's track & field, men's volleyball, women's basketball, cross country, women's golf, beach volleyball, lacrosse, women's swimming & diving, women's tennis, women's track & field, women's volleyball and women's water polo.
APR accounts for eligibility, retention, and graduation to generate a measure of academic performance. Each year, the APR creates a snapshot of a team's academic success as it tracks the progress of each student-athlete on scholarship. The 2025 APR is a multiyear rate based on scores from the 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 academic years.
APR scores below 930 lead to penalties that include practice restrictions, playing season reductions and postseason ineligibility. The NCAA began tracking APR in 2004-05.
No USC sport was close to the NCAA APR of 930 that leads to penalties. In fact, all USC programs were at least 42 points above that baseline standard. USC's NCAA Graduation Success Rate — announced in November 2024 — hit a new all-time high of 94 percent.
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