Pepperdine Athletics Sees Eight Programs Log Perfect Multi-Year Academic Progress Rate Scores

MALIBU, Calif. – Pepperdine Athletics continues to see student-athletes produce academic success at high levels as the Waves had all 17 rated programs post a 947 or better multi-year  Academic Progress Rate (APR), when the NCAA released its most recent data on Tuesday, May 6.

With six teams posting perfect multi-year APR scores, all of the Waves teams were safely above the NCAA’s minimum APR standard score of 930. Pepperdine posted an overall average multi-year score of 987, above the national multi-year average 984.

“The Academic Progress Rate is more than a metric”, said Pepperdine Director of Athletics, Tanner Gardner. “It’s a reflection of our commitment to student-athlete success, both on the field and in the classroom. At Pepperdine, we take pride in fostering an environment where academic achievement is just as celebrated as athletic performance.”

The eight teams with perfect scores are women’s basketball, beach volleyball, women’s cross country, women’s golf, women’s soccer, swimming and diving, women’s track and women’s indoor volleyball. Three teams stretched their perfect streak to 11-consecutive years at 1,000. The swimming and diving, women’s cross country and women’s track teams all reported at 1,000 points. 

Pepperdine supported 58 student-athletes to earn their degrees this spring at the commencement ceremony on May 3. 

Academic Progress Rate

The 2025 APR report features a four-year compilation of data from the 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years. The APR uses formulas related to student-athlete retention and eligibility to measure the academic performances of all participants who receive grants-in-aid on every team at every NCAA Division I college and university. It provides a real-time look at a team’s academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete, and a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport.

The APR, or Academic Progress Rate, holds institutions accountable for the academic progress of their student-athletes through a team-based metric that accounts for the eligibility and retention of each student-athlete for each academic term.

The APR is calculated as follows:

• Each student-athlete receiving athletically related financial aid earns one point for staying in school and one point for being academically eligible.

• A team’s total points are divided by the points possible and then multiplied by 1,000 to equal the team’s Academic Progress Rate.

• In addition to a team’s current-year APR, its rolling four-year APR is also used to determine accountability.

The APR is based on four years of data, with the most current year’s data added and the oldest year removed to create a four-year (multi-year) rolling rate.

About Pepperdine Athletics

Pepperdine Athletics sponsors 17 varsity men’s and women’s teams that compete at the NCAA Division I level, primarily in the West Coast Conference. The Waves’ athletic program began in 1938 and is in its 87th season in 2024-25. Over 300 student-athletes train and compete in the unparalleled environment of Malibu’s mild Mediterranean climate. The Waves have claimed 14 National Team Championships, 12 National Individual Championships, 242 Conference team titles, including five trophies in the 2024-25 academic year.

Follow Pepperdine Athletics on X and Instagram (@PepperdineWaves) and Facebook for all the latest information concerning the Pepperdine Athletics program.

 – PepperdineWaves.com-