NCAA denies UConn's final appeal

Apr 5, 2012 - 9:55 PM Storrs, CT (Sports Network) - The NCAA's committee on academic performance (CAP) informed the University of Connecticut Thursday that the school's final appeal of a postseason ban for the men's basketball team for the 2012-13 season has been denied.

The appeal was submitted to the NCAA as a result of the team's past Academic Progress Rate performance.

"I want to be clear that everyone at UConn is and will always be committed to academic excellence for all of our student-athletes and in particular our men's basketball players," said UConn athletic director Warde Manuel. "Before we even began this appeal process, the University and its Division of Athletics began to implement changes that were designed to positively impact the academic performance of our men's basketball student-athletes. We have and will continue to make adjustments designed to help these young men succeed."

When making its ruling, the NCAA used the APR scores from each academic year spanning 2007-11.

The Huskies boasted nearly-perfect APR scores in 2010-11, the year they won the NCAA national championship, and the NCAA did not take into account the current 2011-12 academic year when considering the postseason bans.

"I am very proud of our current men's basketball student-athletes, who have worked hard in the classroom and enjoyed academic success," said UConn president Susan Herbst. "It is disturbing that our current players must pay a penalty for the academic performance of students no longer enrolled. As I have said repeatedly, no educator or parent purposefully punishes young people for the failings of others."