Sports / NCAA NCAA Penalizes Teams for Classroom Performance Programs with poor graduation rates face sanctions By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff Posted May 6, 2008 5:02 PM CDT Copied Chadron State running back Danny Woodhead smiles on the sidelines after breaking the all-time NCAA rushing record in this Oct. 6, 2007 file photo, at Ben Altimirano Memorial Stadium in Silver City, N.M. (AP Photo/David G Pierre, File) The NCAA has handed out sanctions to more than 200 college teams for poor academic performance, USA Today reports. More than a third of the 329 Division I schools had teams with subpar Academic Progress Rates, which means their players' graduation rate was lower than 60%. Twenty-six teams deemed chronic underperformers still face reductions in practice time and scholarship awards. More on today's actions: 418 teams posted perfect APRs of 1000, or near-perfect graduation rates. 53 teams in Division I men's basketball—about one in six—were sanctioned. Of those, 39 received penalties. 17 major college football teams were sanctioned, including '07 bowl participants Florida Atlantic and Central Michigan. (More NCAA stories.) Report an error