PISCATAWAY, N.J. (May 24, 2011) – For the second-straight year, the Rutgers women’s gymnastics program received a perfect score and a number one national ranking in Academic Progress Rate, according to the latest multi-year APR figures released by the NCAA on Tuesday.

The Scarlet Knights achieved a multi-year figure of 1,000, which represents a perfect score, for the second straight year. Rutgers was one of 17 women’s gymnastics programs in the nation to receive a perfect score and one of just nine women’s gymnastics programs with a perfect score each of the last two years. 

Rutgers’ four-year APR score of 1,000 covered the academic years of 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10.

“This is a well-deserved reward and a true testament to the hard work our girls put into both their academics and their competition,” said retired head women’s gymnastics coach Chrystal Chollet-Norton, who recently completed her 25th and final season at the helm of the Rutgers program during the 2010-11 academic year. “We have a great tradition of academic excellence in this program. This is a great honor as I conclude my career. I could not be more proud of the girls’ achievements in the classroom.”   

Chollet-Norton retired at the conclusion of the 2010-11 academic year with former assistant coach Lou Levine taking over as head coach of the program earlier this month. In Chollet-Norton’s final season as RU’s mentor, the Scarlet Knights had one of the finest competitive seasons in school history. While breaking the school-record for victories in a season and posting some of the highest scores in school history, RU continued its excellence in the classroom. A school-record 20 gymnasts were named to the East Atlantic Gymnastics League All-Academic squad, the most of any team in the league for a second straight season, as RU looks to maintain its prestigious APR status in the future. 

The APR provides a real-time look at a team’s academic success each semester or quarter by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete. The APR includes eligibility, retention, and graduation in the calculation and provides a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport.