UA issues Razorbacks Athletics Annual Report

The University of Arkansas Athletic Public Relations Office has issued the 2012-13 Arkansas Razorbacks Athletics Annual Report. The annual report includes a 12-page publication, a year in review DVD and this comprehensive year in review web page.

“It has been just more than five years since we combined our independent men’s and women’s athletic programs,” Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long said in a statement. “The progress we have made as a program is truly remarkable. Our more than 460 student-athletes in 19 sports continue to excel in competition, in the classroom and in our community.”

Following are some of the highlights from the report.
• In 2012-13, for the fifth consecutive year, Razorback student-athletes earned a cumulative GPA of more than 3.0 finishing the year with a record 3.09 GPA.

• For the first time in history, all 19 sport programs exceeded the Academic Progress Rate benchmark including five programs who received public recognition awards from the NCAA.

• The University of Arkansas finished the year 21st in the Learfield Sports Directors Cup, its third consecutive top-25 finish and its fifth in the past six years.

• Sixteen of 19 Razorback sport programs advanced to post-season competition including six programs that finished in the top-10 nationally in their respective sports. Men’s track and field captured its 41st national championship while earning an SEC Triple Crown. Women’s track and field also earned the SEC Indoor Track and Field Championship.

• In the community, Razorback student-athletes volunteered 6,352 hours for more than 114 schools, agencies and organizations.

• For the second straight year, the University of Arkansas was the only institution to rank in the top 25 of national attendance for football, men’s basketball and baseball.

• Razorback Athletics also moved forward with its Athletics Facilities Master Plan completing the Fred W. Smith Football Center and beginning work on three other major facilities: the Student-Athlete Success Center, the basketball practice facility and the baseball and track indoor training facility.

• The economic impact of Razorback Athletics also continues to be felt throughout the region with an annual estimated economic impact of $153.6 million. Combined with the planned construction in the next five years, Razorback Athletics will have an impact of more than $1 billion on the state’s economy.