NWCA announces APR conference leaders and Top-20 improved teams
Share:
by Tammy Tedesco
Manheim, PA. - Eight Division I wrestling programs are recognized for having the highest Academic Progress Rate in their conference for the second straight year. The NCAA released its 5th annual APR report earlier this week and wrestling showed vast improvements with 21 teams improving by 15 or more points from last year.
Iowa State (Big 12), Northwestern (Big 10), George Mason (Colonial), Pittsburgh (Eastern Wrestling League), Northern Illinois (MAC), Stanford (Pac 10), Davidson (Southern Conference) and Air Force (West Regional) are the eight wrestling programs with the highest APR score in their conference for a second year in a row.
Iowa State placed third at the 2009 NCAA championships and Northwestern finish 13th, while both programs also produced a national champion.
Pittsburgh University, which placed 38th at the NCAA championships, defended its APR title in the Eastern Wrestling League, which showed the largest improvement of all conferences in the nation.
Bucknell, which has a perfect 1000 APR score, led the very competitive EIWA wrestling conference. The EIWA, comprised of 14 eastern wrestling programs including those in the Ivy League conference, had the highest average APR score of all conferences in the country at 971.
The University of Virginia is the top program in the ACC, while Millersville University lead all teams in the East Regional.
West Virginia University, a member of the Eastern Wrestling League, improved 38 points from a year ago - the best among the 84 NCAA Division I wrestling programs. Two other EWL conference schools were in the top-20 for most improved including Pittsburgh (18-point improvement) and Clarion (16 points). The average improvement in APR scores in the EWL was 14.7 points
The University of Iowa, which won its second consecutive NCAA title in March finished tied for 7th on the most improved list by improving 25 points from a year ago.
Top-20 Most Improved APR scores
(# represents the improvement from a year ago)
1 West Virginia (38) EWL
2 UC Davis (33) Pac 10
3 Eastern Michigan (29) MAC
4 Binghamton (27) CAA
4 Oklahoma (27) Big 12
4 UT Chattanooga (27) Southern
7 Iowa (25) Big 10
7 Millersville (25) East Regional
9 North Dakota State (24) Western Region
10 Liberty (22) East Regional
11 Princeton (20) EIWA
12 Pittsburgh (18) EWL
12 University of North Carolina (18) ACC
14 Rider (17) CAA
14 Clarion (16) EWL
14 Buffalo (16) MAC
17 CSU Bakersfield (16) Pac 10
18 University of Virginia (15) ACC
18 Appalachian State (15) Southern
18 Purdue (15) Big 10
18 Old Dominion (15) CAA
Iowa State (Big 12), Northwestern (Big 10), George Mason (Colonial), Pittsburgh (Eastern Wrestling League), Northern Illinois (MAC), Stanford (Pac 10), Davidson (Southern Conference) and Air Force (West Regional) are the eight wrestling programs with the highest APR score in their conference for a second year in a row.
Iowa State placed third at the 2009 NCAA championships and Northwestern finish 13th, while both programs also produced a national champion.
Pittsburgh University, which placed 38th at the NCAA championships, defended its APR title in the Eastern Wrestling League, which showed the largest improvement of all conferences in the nation.
Bucknell, which has a perfect 1000 APR score, led the very competitive EIWA wrestling conference. The EIWA, comprised of 14 eastern wrestling programs including those in the Ivy League conference, had the highest average APR score of all conferences in the country at 971.
The University of Virginia is the top program in the ACC, while Millersville University lead all teams in the East Regional.
West Virginia University, a member of the Eastern Wrestling League, improved 38 points from a year ago - the best among the 84 NCAA Division I wrestling programs. Two other EWL conference schools were in the top-20 for most improved including Pittsburgh (18-point improvement) and Clarion (16 points). The average improvement in APR scores in the EWL was 14.7 points
The University of Iowa, which won its second consecutive NCAA title in March finished tied for 7th on the most improved list by improving 25 points from a year ago.
Top-20 Most Improved APR scores
(# represents the improvement from a year ago)
1 West Virginia (38) EWL
2 UC Davis (33) Pac 10
3 Eastern Michigan (29) MAC
4 Binghamton (27) CAA
4 Oklahoma (27) Big 12
4 UT Chattanooga (27) Southern
7 Iowa (25) Big 10
7 Millersville (25) East Regional
9 North Dakota State (24) Western Region
10 Liberty (22) East Regional
11 Princeton (20) EIWA
12 Pittsburgh (18) EWL
12 University of North Carolina (18) ACC
14 Rider (17) CAA
14 Clarion (16) EWL
14 Buffalo (16) MAC
17 CSU Bakersfield (16) Pac 10
18 University of Virginia (15) ACC
18 Appalachian State (15) Southern
18 Purdue (15) Big 10
18 Old Dominion (15) CAA
Read More#
2026 NWCA/USMC Multi-Division National Duals to return to the UNI-Dome, Jan. 9-10
Brandon Slay moves on from leading Pennsylvania RTC; Will direct SportsLife Wrestling and launch G1 Training Center in Arkansas
Successful 2025 Greg Strobel Leadership Academy fundraiser will benefit future and current National Team members and leaders
2025 CLAW U.S. Open, with 4,400 entries already, to light up Las Vegas, April 23-27; Still time to register in all 14 tournaments
