PRINCETON, N.J. -- The Ivy League was once again the highest scoring of the 32 Division I conferences in both number of teams (105) and percentage of teams (48.6 percent) recognized for academic excellence in the NCAA Academic Progress Rates (APR) announcement. 
 
Brown, Columbia and Dartmouth tied with Holy Cross for the most programs to receive APR awards with 18. Columbia also tied for second with 75 percent of its teams receiving recognition.
 
Twenty-five Ivy League teams — representing all eight schools — made the list of 73 programs that received the awards in all 14 years they were given.
 
Columbia fencing was one of four national championship-winning programs from this year to earn the honor. The Lions’ men’s tennis team, which enters this weekend’s NCAA Championships as the No. 16 seed, has received the award for all 14 years the Public Recognition Awards have been granted. 
 
In addition, the Ivy League featured three (Dartmouth, Penn, Yale) out of only four Division I football teams to receive the honor for the 14th year in a row. Duke was the only other recipient in football. 
 
Teams earning Public Recognition Awards increased to 1,328, up by 44 from the previous academic year. APRs for programs in the top 10% ranged from 987 to a perfect 1,000, and the number of teams posting perfect scores increased to 1,214, marking an increase of 26 teams from last year.
 
APR scores for all Division I teams will be released May 8. The APR measures eligibility, graduation and retention each semester or academic term and provides a clear picture of the ongoing 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.