Lamar sports information

BEAUMONT — The Lamar University women’s soccer team received an NCAA Public Recognition Award for placing in the top 10 percent of Division I women’s soccer programs in the most recent Academic Progress Rate (APR) report, the NCAA announced Wednesday.

The APR is an annual scorecard of academic achievement calculated for all Division I sports. The APR measures eligibility, graduation and retention each semester or academic term and provides a clear picture of the academic performance for each team in every sport. All teams must meet an academic threshold of 930 to qualify for the postseason and can face penalties for continued low academic performance.

The most recent APRs are multiyear rates based on scores from the 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 academic years. APR scores for all Division I programs will be announced on May 23. All of Lamar University’s teams are expected to meet the threshold.

“We are extremely pleased with our APR numbers as well as the superb academic performance of our student-athletes,” Lamar University Director of Athletics Marco Born said. “These numbers are a testament not only to the hard work and dedication of our student-athletes but also to the efforts of our coaches and academic support staff. These rates demonstrate that Lamar University is committed to building champions on the field, in the classroom and in life.”

The Cardinals were well represented in academic recognition by the Southland Conference this past season. LU’s M.J. Eckart was named the Southland Conference Women’s Soccer Student-Athlete of the Year. Eckart, Lauren Lovejoy and Marie Lund were first-team selections on the Southland Conference All-Academic Team, while Juliana Ocampo was a second-team choice. In addition, the Cardinals placed 17 players on the Southland Conference Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll, with three student-athletes (Eckart, Carly Morgan and Laura Parra) boasting a perfect 4.0 GPA.

The Cardinals were also successful on the field, winning the Southland Conference regular-season and tournament championships. LU went 18-4-1 overall and 10-1 in Southland Conference action, setting school records for overall wins and wins in conference.

“I applaud every program earning a Public Recognition Award this year for their commitment to going above and beyond to prepare students for life after college through academic achievement,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said.