Courtesy of NCCU Athletics
DURHAM, N.C. – The HBCU football team at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) is a “national champion” when it comes to the 2023-24 Academic Progress Rate (APR) Report, which the NCAA released on Tuesday.
The Eagles posted their best single-year APR score ever—a perfect 1,000, which is the NCAA’s highest standard of academic success.
The APR is a measure used by the NCAA to track the academic progress of student-athletes on every Division I team through a team-based metric emphasizing variables such as eligibility and retention.
“This is a monumental achievement, one that should invite ongoing conversation about what’s possible when student-athletes, support staff, coaches, and the university community move in alignment with shared direction and commitment,” said Kwadjo Steele, the NCCU Associate Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Support.
North Carolina Central University is the only HBCU football team to earn a 1,000 single-year APR score and one of just a few Division I football programs (FBS or FCS) to achieve a perfect score this year. The achievement further proves that the Eagles refuse to compromise academic excellence while pursuing athletic championships.
“I am incredibly proud of our football team’s achievement of earning a perfect APR score over 1,000,” head coach Trei Oliver said. “This is more than just a number for us; it’s the academic equivalent of winning a national championship. It speaks volumes about the kind of young men we recruit, the intentional culture we’ve built, and the total commitment of our coaching and academic staff.”
Academic Perfection
During the 2023-24 academic year, the Durham, NC-based HBCU notched a semester and cumulative GPA above 3.0 for both the fall and spring semesters. The team graduated 25 students, with 20 earning their undergraduate degrees and five receiving their master’s degrees.
“While there are many deserving of thanks, we must begin by recognizing our student-athletes for their academic success,” Steele said. “We also extend deep gratitude to our exceptional support team — Lucy Mason, Jenna Watts, and assistant football coach Tony Spencer — for the structure and accountability they provided throughout the year. Their behind-the-scenes work made a tremendous difference. Coach Oliver likewise deserves high praise for embracing a structure that upheld the same elite habits that drive championship-level success — on the field, in the classroom, and within the community.”
The APR report includes a single-year score and a rolling four-year average to determine academic accountability. Teams must maintain a multi-average of 930 to compete for championships and avoid potential penalties.
“At NCCU, our football team’s motto is ‘Culture Over Scheme,’ and this milestone is a direct reflection of that philosophy,” Oliver said. “We don’t just develop football players; we develop scholars, leaders, and men of character. This achievement proves that when you build a program on discipline, accountability, and family, excellence follows on the field and in the classroom. The Eagle standard is real, and we’re just getting started.”