COLLEGES
Bona hoops avoids academic penalties
APR score costs UB a football scholarship
The St. Bonaventure men’s basketball program has showed improvement on its Academic Progress Rate numbers, avoiding penalties that could have cost the Bonnies a scholarship and other further sanctions.
St. Bonaventure had an APR of 904 — 21 points below the cutoff of 925 — according to the NCAA’s APR report released Wednesday, but the Bonnies met the guidelines of a waiver filed with the NCAA that included making significant progress toward the 925 objective.
Last year St. Bonaventure scored 897 and was placed on public notice by the NCAA for failing to meet the organization’s APR standards.
The APR measures eligibility and retention of student-athletes.
“We feel very confident with [men’s basketball coach] Mark [Schmidt] on board and with more support for our student-athletes that our APR numbers will continue to rise,” said Barbara Questa, St. Bonaventure’s senior associate athletic director.
The only Big 4 program that fell below the cutoff and lost a scholarship was the University at Buffalo’s football team, which had a score of 908. The Bulls’ football program lost three scholarships three years ago, and accepted two of its penalties during the 2006-07 academic year and one scholarship for 2007-08.
The UB wrestling team had a 923 score but will not suffer any penalties because the program is making progress toward 925.
Several Big 4 athletic programs were recognized for academic excellence: UB’s women’s cross country and swimming teams, Niagara’s women’s basketball and volleyball teams, and St. Bonaventure’s men’s tennis and women’s tennis teams were awarded Public Recognition Awards for the 2008-09 school year.
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