UNI Football Earns FCS Academic Honor
6/28/2018 7:52:00 PM | Football
WASHINGTON, D.C. – UNI football was recognized for the team's latest Academic Progress Rate (APR) at the ninth annual FCS Athletics Directors Association APR awards banquet today.
"Our goal at UNI football is to prepare our student-athletes to be elite in their post graduate careers by instilling the intangibles that separate good and great," said head coach Mark Farley. "We want our guys to be the most prepared on the football field and in the classroom. We have some great examples to point to with the No. 1 law student coming out of Drake University with Mac O'Brien and orthopedic surgeons like Ben Boothby. So whether it's someone like our lawyers, judges and surgeons or David Johnson, who is excelling in the NFL, we want to be graduating the most prepared student who can compete in the next phase of life."
The award recognizes FCS institutions that have achieved either the highest multiyear APR average in their respective conference or have registered the greatest single year APR score improvement among their conference membership (score must be above 900).
With an APR of 979, UNI football received the award for the most improved APR score in the Missouri Valley Football Conference for 2016-17.
"It's clear with all the coaches across the board - the assistants and Coach Farley - that there is an emphasis on holding the student-athletes accountable for their academics," said Stacia Eggers, associate athletic director for student services. "I feel very supported in the effort that I initiate with the guys, and the team works really hard. We have very clear expectations. We meet with them individually, and we have seen a lot of improvement."
Farley credits the academic service team for UNI's continued success.
"Because of Stacia Eggers in academics developing our players in the classroom, Jed Smith in the weight room and our assistant coaches on the field, those three prongs make us successful," Farley said. "Stacia creates the plan to be successful in the classroom all the way through graduation. I have always felt our UNI professors foster unique relationships with all of our students. That connection with our faculty is a big part of our success. As a program, we want our student-athletes to take ownership in their academic careers."
Implemented in 2003, the APR holds NCAA Division I institutions accountable for the academic progress and retention of each student-athlete for each academic term. Data is collected annually and announced each spring.
The ceremony was held in conjunction with the FCS ADA scholarship luncheon at the NACDA Convention in Washington, D.C., at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.
The Panthers open 2018 season play at Montana Sept. 1. UNI will face Iowa 6:30 p.m. Sept. 15 before hosting the first game of the season against Hampton Sept. 22.
The 2018 Panthers will return 26 players who made starts on offense and defense for UNI in 2017. Last year's squad earned an 8-5 record and defeated three top-10 foes on its way to the program's 19th FCS playoff berth. The Panthers also succeeded on the postseason award's stage, after seven different players earned All-American honors, which was the most since 2007.
"Our goal at UNI football is to prepare our student-athletes to be elite in their post graduate careers by instilling the intangibles that separate good and great," said head coach Mark Farley. "We want our guys to be the most prepared on the football field and in the classroom. We have some great examples to point to with the No. 1 law student coming out of Drake University with Mac O'Brien and orthopedic surgeons like Ben Boothby. So whether it's someone like our lawyers, judges and surgeons or David Johnson, who is excelling in the NFL, we want to be graduating the most prepared student who can compete in the next phase of life."
The award recognizes FCS institutions that have achieved either the highest multiyear APR average in their respective conference or have registered the greatest single year APR score improvement among their conference membership (score must be above 900).
With an APR of 979, UNI football received the award for the most improved APR score in the Missouri Valley Football Conference for 2016-17.
"It's clear with all the coaches across the board - the assistants and Coach Farley - that there is an emphasis on holding the student-athletes accountable for their academics," said Stacia Eggers, associate athletic director for student services. "I feel very supported in the effort that I initiate with the guys, and the team works really hard. We have very clear expectations. We meet with them individually, and we have seen a lot of improvement."
Farley credits the academic service team for UNI's continued success.
"Because of Stacia Eggers in academics developing our players in the classroom, Jed Smith in the weight room and our assistant coaches on the field, those three prongs make us successful," Farley said. "Stacia creates the plan to be successful in the classroom all the way through graduation. I have always felt our UNI professors foster unique relationships with all of our students. That connection with our faculty is a big part of our success. As a program, we want our student-athletes to take ownership in their academic careers."
Implemented in 2003, the APR holds NCAA Division I institutions accountable for the academic progress and retention of each student-athlete for each academic term. Data is collected annually and announced each spring.
The ceremony was held in conjunction with the FCS ADA scholarship luncheon at the NACDA Convention in Washington, D.C., at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.
The Panthers open 2018 season play at Montana Sept. 1. UNI will face Iowa 6:30 p.m. Sept. 15 before hosting the first game of the season against Hampton Sept. 22.
The 2018 Panthers will return 26 players who made starts on offense and defense for UNI in 2017. Last year's squad earned an 8-5 record and defeated three top-10 foes on its way to the program's 19th FCS playoff berth. The Panthers also succeeded on the postseason award's stage, after seven different players earned All-American honors, which was the most since 2007.
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