Eleven Gonzaga sports teams receive Public Recognition Awards from NCAA

Gonzaga made another final four, this one for its student-athletes’ academic prowess.

Eleven of the Bulldogs’ 15 Academic Progress Rate-eligible athletic programs received NCAA Public Recognition Awards, placing Gonzaga third nationally at 73.3 percent, according to the NCAA.

Public Recognition Awards are given to programs in the top 10 percent of their sport’s multiyear APR. The most recent APRs are based on scores from the 2014-17 academic years.

The Zags trailed Villanova (82 percent) and Holy Cross (79) out of 306 schools that placed a team in the top APR list.

Gonzaga women’s golf is one of 85 teams to receive Public Recognition Awards in each of the awards’ 13-year history.

Other Zag programs honored: baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, men’s golf, men’s soccer, women’s tennis, men’s track and women’s track (indoor and outdoor track are combined).

Of the 68 teams in the NCAA Tournament, Gonzaga men’s basketball was one of 13 to receive the award. Of the 64-team women’s tournament, Gonzaga was one of 15 honored.

Gonzaga led the West Coast Conference with nine PRA-honored teams in WCC-sponsored sports, followed by Santa Clara’s seven. GU men’s basketball, women’s basketball and baseball were the only WCC teams in their respective sports to earn Public Recognition Awards.