NCAA takes 'Necks basketball scholarship
Lisa Brock
Issue date: 5/8/09 Section: Sports
Western Illinois University's men's basketball program is feeling the effects of the low average academic scores of past seasons under former coach Derrick Thomas.
The NCAA withdrew a scholarship from Leatherneck basketball after the 'Necks APR average turned out to be 887, less than the required 900. Last year, the team earned an APR of 874 and the NCAA gave them a public notice warning them of the possibility of withdrawal if the average did not increase.
NCAA's academic and membership affairs correspondent John Pestzel commented that if a team's APR score is less than 900 they must be penalized. The most common APR penalty the NCAA utilizes is to withdraw a scholarship, leaving the 'Necks with 12 scholarships for next year instead of the usual 13.
Penalties are assessed for school programs that have not shown progress within five years, which means these infractions were in place well before Coach Jim Molinari was hired to help the program. This year the team had a record of 10-19, slightly worse than last year's record of 14-18.
The Leathernecks are not alone in being penalized, as 18 other universities lost one scholarship each, including Purdue and University of Illinois at Chicago. Ohio State University and Indiana University-Bloomington lost two scholarships. Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis lost three scholarships.
Western Illinois University's Athletic Department could not be reached for comment.
The NCAA withdrew a scholarship from Leatherneck basketball after the 'Necks APR average turned out to be 887, less than the required 900. Last year, the team earned an APR of 874 and the NCAA gave them a public notice warning them of the possibility of withdrawal if the average did not increase.
NCAA's academic and membership affairs correspondent John Pestzel commented that if a team's APR score is less than 900 they must be penalized. The most common APR penalty the NCAA utilizes is to withdraw a scholarship, leaving the 'Necks with 12 scholarships for next year instead of the usual 13.
Penalties are assessed for school programs that have not shown progress within five years, which means these infractions were in place well before Coach Jim Molinari was hired to help the program. This year the team had a record of 10-19, slightly worse than last year's record of 14-18.
The Leathernecks are not alone in being penalized, as 18 other universities lost one scholarship each, including Purdue and University of Illinois at Chicago. Ohio State University and Indiana University-Bloomington lost two scholarships. Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis lost three scholarships.
Western Illinois University's Athletic Department could not be reached for comment.
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