Last fall, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors approved tougher academic standards for its member institutions, including setting a new standard that teams must meet to compete in the postseason.  Academic Progress Rates (APR) were released today (Wednesday) and two HBCU men's basketball teams along with three football teams have been ruled ineligible for postseason play.

Every Division I sports team calculates its APR each academic year, based on the eligibility and retention of each scholarship student-athlete. Teams scoring below certain thresholds can face sanctions, such as scholarship losses and restrictions on practice. Rates are based on the past four years’ performance.

The most recent APR scores are multi-year rates based on the scores from the 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years.

The standard for postseason access starts at 900 APR but over the next few years climbs to 930, which equates to a 50 percent Graduation Success Rate. To assist limited-resource institutions including all HBCUs in Division I, the board gave these schools and their teams more flexibility to meet the standards.

According to the latest APR figures, 15 teams will not have access to the postseason for the 2012-13 season, compared to only eight last season.

“This is not a penalty—it’s our expectation,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said. “Just as a team needs a winning record to make the playoffs or the tournament, they need a winning record in the classroom as well.”

Teams with postseason ineligibility for 2012-13 season (all of these teams also face APR penalties)

Men's Basketball
    California State University, Bakersfield*
    Jacksonville State University
    Mississippi Valley State University
    Texas A&M Corpus Christi
    Towson University
    University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff
    University of California, Riverside
    University of Connecticut
    UNC-Wilmington
    University of Toledo

*Data still under review

Football
    Hampton University
    North Carolina A&T State University
    Texas Southern University

Men's Soccer
    Central Connecticut State University

Men's Wrestling
    University of Northern Colorado

(Eight teams were ineligible for the postseason in 2011-12)

Teams with penalties for 2012-13 season

There are 35 Division I teams facing penalties in 2012-13 for not meeting the mark academically. This means they posted an APR score below 900. The NCAA’s revised penalty structure has three levels, with penalties increasing in severity at each level. The specific penalties for each team are listed on their school’s penalty report in the APR searchable database.