Posted on: Tuesday, March 1, 2005

UH athletes make the grade — barely

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

The University of Hawai'i-Manoa barely exceeded a new NCAA academic guideline that is designed to penalize programs if athletes continue to underperform in the classroom, according to a report released yesterday.

All but one of UH-Manoa's 18 sports teams exceeded the new standard, but the overall margin was not impressive. Hawai'i scored just above the academic requirement and below the average posted by 326 Division I schools, based on the 2003-2004 report by the NCAA, which governs most U.S. college sports.

"This a good barometer of where we are academically with our teams," UH Athletic Director Herman Frazier said in a press release. "The good news is that, overall, we are above the requirement, but we do have some work to do in regards to improving the individual scores of each program."

The one UH program that failed to make the grade was the men's baseball team. Frazier declined to answer any specific questions about the team, according to Lois Manin, the department's sports information director. UH baseball coach Mike Trapasso and other UH coaches declined to comment, referring all questions to Frazier.

The NCAA set a minimum academic-achievement score, called an Academic Progress Rate (APR), at 925 for all teams. Programs that fail to attain that standard face the loss of scholarships and other sanctions starting in the 2005-2006 academic year.

The 925 score is based on a total of 1,000 points and translates into a 50 percent graduation rate. Other factors such as academic eligibility also count in the score.

Overall, Hawai'i posted a score of 930 — just five points above the academic requirement and 18 points below the 948 average of Division I schools.

Three UH programs — men's volleyball, women's golf and women's tennis — had perfect scores of 1,000. The top score means that during the 2003-2004 academic year the teams' scholarship athletes remained at school, stayed academically eligible and ultimately graduated.

"I think it's a good idea," said women's volleyball player Tara Hittle of the new NCAA academic requirements. "The whole reason why we're in college is to get an education."

Hittle, who was studying at the Nagatani Academic Center last night, said UH student-athletes are afforded many academic services such as tutors and free computer access, and added the new academic standards are achievable.

"I don't think it's too harsh," said Hittle, who as a freshman must spend at least eight hours in study hall a week and pass several grade checks.

NCAA officials said there was no system to penalize teams for poor academic performance before the new academic standards were adopted last month. Besides losing scholarships, schools with chronically poor academic track records could ultimately be shut out of postseason showcases such as football bowls and the NCAA basketball tournament.

"The goal of the academic reform package is to reinforce good behavior," NCAA President Myles Brand said in a news release. "The new reforms are tough but fair."

The report was provided to college presidents, chancellors, and athletic directors to serve as a measuring stick for institutions to reach compliance by the 2005-2006 academic year.

Teams that fail to meet the APR score of 925 for two years running — including the 2003-04 and 2004-05 academic years — will suffer penalties in the third year.

More than half the schools in Division I had at least one sport with an APR below 925. Football, baseball and men's basketball were the biggest trouble spots, the report said.

The UH baseball team scored 819, according to the report. Overall, baseball scored a 922 APR, making it the lowest scoring sport in the report, the NCAA said.

One reason for baseball's poor showing may be that players are routinely drafted and signed by professional leagues before graduation, adversely affecting their teams' academic scores.

Some 450 student-athletes participate in 19 UH sports, including sailing, which is not an NCAA-sanctioned sport. The university offers 220 scholarships that are divided among the teams, Manin said.

Hawai'i received the fourth-best APR in the 10-team Western Athletic Conference. Rice ranked first with a score of 981 followed by Southern Methodist (962), Tulsa (959), Hawai'i (930), Fresno State (927), Boise State (921), Nevada (920), Louisiana Tech (918), Texas-El Paso (912) and San Jose State (874).

"I am proud that three of our programs posted perfect scores," Frazier said. "However, our mission is to provide opportunities and encourage all of our student-athletes to attain a high level of academic excellence. We will meet with our coaches to evaluate our current procedures and put policies in place to help our student-athletes achieve their academic goals.

"It's important to note that this is a preliminary report," Frazier said. "It shows each institution where they are currently, so they're aware of what areas need to be addressed."

In a 2004 NCAA study, 65 percent of the student-athletes who entered UH in 1997 graduated within six years. Only 54 percent of the nonathletes at UH graduated within that same time span.

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2458.