NCAA academic report: some college teams may be hit hard
By MICHAEL MAROT, AP Sports Writer
Tue May 6, 1:05 PM ET



INDIANAPOLIS - College teams that consistently underperform in the classroom are getting hit harder by the NCAA.

Nearly 150 college teams face possible scholarship losses next season and 26 others are in danger of being banned from postseason play if they don't improve next year.

The NCAA's annual academic progress report was released Tuesday. It showed more than 700 teams fell short of the mandated cut score.

But only 218 were penalized with warning letters, potential reductions in scholarships and practice time and warned they face possible postseason bans. Some were granted waivers by the governing body.

Thirty-six teams were assessed two penalties and three schools had more than one team make the list twice — Alabama-Birmingham in men's basketball, football and men's golf; San Diego State in baseball and football; and San Jose State in baseball and men's basketball.

When a team does not improve, the punishments can become harsher with three consecutive scores under 900 leading to a postseason ban. A fourth consecutive offense would prevent them from competing at the Division I level.

Schools already facing a possible postseason ban include football teams at San Jose State, Southern and Temple, and men's basketball teams at New Mexico, Centenary and East Carolina.

Money is becoming a more notable factor in academic success or failure. According to the report, 180 teams cited low resources as the reason for their poor scores, while 253 teams said they were hurt by the departures of academically ineligible players. Teams can cite more than one explanation for scores when filing the report with the NCAA.

This year's result also show the largest Division I schools, those in the Bowl Championship Series conferences, performed relatively well.

Eighteen BCS teams were penalized, eight in men's and women's basketball and two in football. Of those, only four teams — Kansas State, Purdue, Southern California and Tennessee — made the NCAA men's basketball tournament and all four could lose up to two scholarships next season if a player leaves school while academically ineligible.

Also making the list were traditional powers like the LSU baseball team and Tennessee men's swimming team.

Tennessee and West Virginia, which each had three teams on the list, were the only BCS schools with more than one team penalized. Each school had three teams make it — West Virginia in men's soccer, wrestling and women's rowing and Tennessee in men's basketball, men's swimming and baseball.

Women continue to outperform men, with a four-year average of 969 compared to 951.

Historically black colleges and universities, which last year had a disparate percentage of the low scores, fell more in line with the national averages this year. Eleven teams, 4.3 percent of the overall total, at eight historically black schools were penalized. The national average was 4.0 percent.

The most recent report includes scores from the 2003-07 academic years. An athlete earns one point for remaining academically eligible each semester and another point each semester they remain at the school, accumulating a maximum of four points each year. The scoring is altered slightly for schools on a quarters-based calendar.

Over the past four years, the scores improved slightly in 26 of the 29 sports measured by the NCAA, with decreases shown only in men's ice hockey, men's swimming and water polo.

quote:

Originally posted by krfamu1:
Schools already facing a possible postseason ban include football teams at San Jose State, Southern and Temple, and men's basketball teams at New Mexico, Centenary and East Carolina.

As a SWAC school, they don't particiapate in the playoffs. Isn't that like your kid bringing home bad grades, and you restrict him from playing PS3, and he doesn't even own the system? Can't miss what you don't have.

Black Colleges Face NCAA Academic Penalties
Several historically black colleges and universities were named in a recent NCAA report detailing institutions failing to meet academic performance standards. In all, nearly 218 teams at 123 Division I athletic programs will be sanctioned by the NCAA for low ratings in academic eligibility, retention and graduation of student athletes.

Sanctions can be immediate given the severity of the violations, or gradual for repeat shortcomings. Penalties can range from public warning, to reduction in scholarships and practice time, to restrictions on post-season competition for repeat offenses.

Among the hardest hit institutions were Morgan State University, Hampton University, Howard University and Southern University, which each lost athletic scholarship awards for the upcoming academic school year.

The athletic programs receiving penalties are but a microcosm of a larger problem surrounding retention and graduation rates at black colleges. While numbers are steadily improving every year, attrition rates at these universities are still at an alarming rate for athletes and traditional students. Many universities feature educational and social programming to encourage and facilitate academic success, but ultimately, it is the maturity and discipline of every student to finish what they start.

In college, and in life.

Alabama State University - Women's Volleyball

Delaware State University - Men's Track and Field (Indoor and Outdoor) Men's Wrestling, Women's Basketball

Hampton University - Men's Basketball, Men's Track and Field (Outdoor)

Howard University - Football

Morgan State University - Football, Women's Volleyball

Norfolk State University - Men's Basketball

Prairie View A&M University - Men's Golf

Southern University - Football

Texas Southern University - Men's Tennis

"Money is becoming a more notable factor in academic success or failure." Not becoming but rather has always been a factor. Let's repeat that, money/socioeconomic status, has ALWAYS been a factor in academic success or failure. PERIOD.

I don't mean to gloat but I'm SURE AS HEYAL GLAD FAMU wasn't on that list.

8 hbcu's compared to 142 PWC's. We gotta ger that number down to 0.