NCAA postseason APR raised from 900 to 930

[star2city]

NCAA approves increase to APR for postseason banishment

A four-year rolling average APR will be used.

Now the NCAA will do away with the 900 cutoff, forcing all teams to raise their academic standards or sit on the sidelines in the postseason. Under the new standards, 12 teams would not have qualified for this year's NCAA tournament, including Ohio State and Syracuse.

The final kinks still need to be worked out, but NCAA president Mark Emmert said he expects a formalized plan to be in place by October. Between now and then Harrison and his committee will look at the particulars, including a timetable for implementing the new structure. Because it is a considerable leap, Harrison said there likely will be a three- to five-year phase-in period, allowing schools to "ratchet up" their academics.

In the Big Sky, the following football teams would be banned from post-season under the new guidelines:

Sac State

Idaho State (already banned at 900 level)

Montana State (needs two more years of improvement)

NAU (probably would be O.K. with another year of improvement)

Portland State

Weber State

Southern Utah

Even Montana's and E Washington's scores are recently in the 930's, dangerously close to the 930.

UND's recent scores have been 970 and 971 - which would be the best in the Big Sky. UCDavis and Cal Poly's scores are in the 960's. Together, those three school are by far the best in the new Big Sky.

In men's basketball, the following teams would be banned if immediately implemented (instead of three or more years):

Sac State (one more year may be O.K.)

Eastern Washington

Idaho State

Montana State (one more year would probably be O.K.)

Portland State

N Colorado (one more year would probably be O.K.)

Weber St (one more year would probably be O.K.)

Southern Utah

IF the rule was implemented for next year (which it won't be), theoretically only three schools would be eligible for the Big Sky bid: UND, NAU, and Montana.

UND's scores have been 960 and 961, the highest average in the Big Sky (Montana has 955 for four year average).

For UND, the only two sports that need to pick up the academic pace are men's X-C (813, 900 - horrible scores) and men's swimming (923, 934)

Link for APR - all schools, all sports

[WYOBISONMAN]

It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out. It is clearly going to impact the number of solid players that will make it in Division I athletics. What does that mean for the talent pool that the FCS schools will have to choose from? I suspect it will be smaller and recruiting will be more competative.

[star2city]

It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out. It is clearly going to impact the number of solid players that will make it in Division I athletics. What does that mean for the talent pool that the FCS schools will have to choose from? I suspect it will be smaller and recruiting will be more competative.

The rules will place even more emphasis on academics. Not many academically questionable athletes will get a shot anymore.