Inferior APR scores cost Southeast programs scholarships

The Southeast Missouri State football program's Academic Progress Rate failed to meet the NCAA minimum standards for the fourth consecutive year, meaning it will lose potential scholarships for the upcoming season.

The football program will be limited to awarding 27 initial scholarships and 80 overall, which is the equivalent of 60.64 scholarships, a reduction of 2.36, the NCAA announced Wednesday. The football program was limited to awarding 61.28 scholarships for last season because of its APR score last year.

The football program achieved an APR score of 938 for 2008-2009, but its multiyear APR score of 919 fell below the NCAA's 925 benchmark. The multiyear average for football championship subdivision schools was 940.

The men's basketball team also was penalized for its failure to achieve the 925 score. The men's basketball program scored a 911 after posting an 878 for 2008-2009. The multiyear average at Division I schools was 940.

The men's basketball program will be limited to awarding 12 overall scholarships. That is the same number it was limited to after failing to score 925 last year.

The scores were calculated based on data from the 2005 fall semester through the 2009 spring semester. Each athlete receives one point per semester for remaining academically eligible and another point each semester for remaining at that school or graduating.

If a team fails to post a score of 925, it can face immediate penalties. If a program consistently fails to score 900, it can be slapped with the NCAA's toughest sanctions, like a ban from postseason play or restricted I membership for the entire athletic department.

The only Division I program banned from postseason for next season was the Portland State men's basketball program after posting a multiyear APR score of 865.

Four Southeast programs achieved perfect 1,000 APR scores for 2008-2009. Those programs were men's cross country, women's cross country, gymnastics and tennis.

There were four programs that failed to achieve a 925 for 2008-2009. They were women's basketball (915), men's indoor track (904), men's outdoor track (904) and men's basketball (878).

Southeast was the lone Ohio Valley Conference member with more than one program penalized.

The Jacksonville State football program scored a multiyear APR of 909 and will be limited to 62.64 scholarships.

The Murray State baseball program scored a 923 multiyear APR and will be limited to 11.67 scholarships, while the Tennessee-Martin women's basketball program achieved a multiyear score of 922 and will be limited to 13 scholarships.

The NCAA reported that 137 programs at 80 schools were penalized.