BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – On Wednesday, March 1, the NCAA released an academic reform report with data regarding 99 Division I athletic teams and their academic performance and retention rate. Out of 20 Division I athletic teams competing at Gardner-Webb, only one – football – fell below the benchmark.
Gardner-Webb University’s football program has already implemented and served its penalties related to the NCAA’s March 1 Academic Progress Report (APR), and will not serve any further penalties related to the report.
The Bulldogs were penalized a total of six scholarships during the 2005-2006 season and were held three initial counters (first-year players) below the NCAA maximum of 25 initial counters for the 2005 season.
“The contemporaneous penalties for the football team have been assessed for this academic year, and no further penalties will have to be served during the 2006-2007 academic year,” said Jennifer Phillips, Assistant Athletics Director for NCAA Compliance at Gardner-Webb. “The NCAA requires each institution that has a team being assessed penalties to keep accurate records on campus verifying that the penalties have been implemented. Gardner-Webb has this required paperwork on file in the compliance office.”
The Academic Progress report currently only uses two years of data, but eventually the APR will include a four-year collection of data.
“At the four-year point, we are hopeful that all of our varsity teams will be above the 925 bench mark,” Phillips added. “As an institution, we have already implemented various programs to ensure academic success with our student-athletes.”
Gardner-Webb University is a member of NCAA Division I-AA and the Big South Conference in football.
“We are committed to continually improving the academic performance of our football team and all other sports at Gardner-Webb,” said Vice President for Athletics Chuck Burch. “Our team grade point averages have risen steadily since our move to NCAA Division I, and we are confident that trend will continue. Our department’s main focus continues to revolve around the education of student-athletes – with intercollegiate athletics providing a vehicle for those individuals to excel in their overall growth as young men and women.”
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