Academics will cost UH scholarships

Hawaii will lose athletic scholarships, including one or two in men's basketball, when the NCAA releases its annual Academic Progress Rate numbers Tuesday.

Baseball is also expected to lose a half scholarship, and football might also be affected for a third year in a row, sources told the Star-Bulletin yesterday.

More severe penalties, including postseason bans, can be levied on teams that fall below a score of 900, which represents around a 50 percent graduation rate.

Baseball (904) and men's basketball (913) received APR scores last year that drew warnings. Squad-size adjustments to the rankings kept them from losing scholarships.

If UH loses more than one basketball scholarship, the Rainbow Warriors would have to take one away from someone already on the team. Men's basketball is allowed a total of 12 scholarships.

Coach Bob Nash declined comment.

The Rainbows, who recently signed two recruits, have filled six of seven scholarships available (prior to the APR forfeiture) for next season.

This is the third year the NCAA is handing out penalties for what it determines as unsatisfactory APR numbers. It is also the third year UH is being sanctioned.

In 2006, Hawaii lost five football scholarships and one in baseball. Last year, one football scholarship was forfeited.

Coach Greg McMackin said he was told no scholarships would be lost in football this year.

"We have a 925 score, which is the highest it's been," McMackin said. "We also had 32 scholar-athletes this year, which is also the most ever."

The average score for all Division I football teams last year was 931. It was 927 for men's basketball and 934 for baseball.

UH's APRs were above the average for all Division I teams last year in men's golf, men's tennis, and men's and women's volleyball. It tied the average in women's golf.

A total of 13 other teams had APRs lower than the Division I average.