NCAA bans Toledo hoops from postseason over grades

Apr 18, 2012 - 10:16 PM Toledo, OH (Sports Network) - The University of Toledo was informed by the NCAA's Committee on Academic Performance (CAP) that it has denied the school's appeal of a postseason ban on its men's basketball team for the 2012-13 season due to the team's past cumulative Academic Performance Rate scores.

"The University of Toledo has a very high academic standard for our student- athletes, so we are very supportive of the academic reforms passed by the NCAA," said athletic director Mike O'Brien. "However, we are very disappointed that our appeal of the post-season ban for our men's basketball program was denied. It is simply a question of fairness. The recent change in legislation with respect to post-season bans was passed by the NCAA last fall and made effective for the 2012-13 season. We question as to why our current student- athletes should be penalized next season without giving us a chance to use the most recent APR data from the 2011-12 school year."

The Toledo men's basketball team had an APR score of 869 for the four years from 2007-08 through 2010-11, and a 917 score for the two years from 2009-11. Under new rules passed by CAP in October of 2011, teams are banned from post- season play if their four-year APR score is below 900 or two-year score is below 930.

In addition, the program will have its weekly practice time reduced by four hours per week and have to reduce its regular-season schedule by three games for the 2012-13 season.

Head coach Tod Kowalczyk thinks the current system should put more emphasis on the academic performance of current student-athletes as opposed to players who have not been a part of the program for several years.

"I fully support the NCAA and its efforts to improve academic integrity, but I don't believe coaches and student-athletes who are doing the right thing should be penalized like this," said Kowalczyk. "I feel the NCAA should use APR numbers from the 2011-12 academic year to make a determination of the postseason status for 2013. By using the most recent data, you come closer to holding current student-athletes accountable for their academic performance."