NCAA academic report: Area schools face sanctions

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/5757712.html

NCAA academic report: Area schools face sanctions
By BRANDON C. WILLIAMS

Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State were among the schools with
multiple sanctions following the announcement of the NCAA's multi-year
Academic Progress Reports, which came out Tuesday afternoon.

The Houston women's basketball team was also stripped of one
scholarship after the program's APR fell just short of the required
925. The Cougars had an APR of 903.

The Lumberjacks football team will be limited to awarding 27 initial
scholarships and 81 scholarship renewals following the report, which is
based on data submitted by NCAA member schools from the 2003-04 thru
2006-07 school years. SFA's women's basketball program was also limited
to awarding 14 scholarship renewals.

Teams that score below 925 on their annual APR and have a student leave
because of academic ineligibility can lose up to 10 percent of their
scholarships, which can be lost each year and not awarded until the
following year.

The Bearkats' men's indoor track team and baseball team also lost two
scholarships after their APR's fell below standards.

However, no Southland Conference school was hit harder than Texas
State, whose men's basketball team was placed on public notice
following an APR of 847. The Bobcats' football and women's basketball
squads also lost scholarships following the announcement.

"Academic reform is here to stay. Every coach and athlete should know
that this is the order of the day," said NCAA President Myles Brand
during a teleconference. We have made progress in a lot of areas, but
we still have a ways to go."

SFA was not the only local school that was affected by the report.
Texas Southern's men's tennis team – which was reprimanded last year –
was limited to just five days and 16 hours of weekly countable activity
along with being put on public notice. Still, the fact that the Tigers
had just one program singled out showed marked improvement from the
university after the school had five programs affected by last year's
report.

Lamar's men's basketball team was limited to just 11 scholarship
renewals after the Cardinals' APR fell to 892, while the Prairie View
men's golf team (797) received a public notice.

In all, only 218 teams at 123 institutions were sanctioned for poor
performance, while 712 teams were publicly recognized last month for
APRs in the top 10 percent of their respective sports.

TSU's men's and women's basketball and track and field, football,
baseball, softball, soccer and women's golf teams were among those
performing at the top 10 percent. Prairie View's men's and women's
basketball and golf teams, along with the Panthers' baseball and
women's tennis teams were also cited for their academic performances.

"Overall, there is much to be encouraged about with the latest data,"
Brand said.

Brandon.williams@chron.com

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