Grambling softball gets postseason ban, football, volleyball hit with APR sanctions

One program received a postseason ban while the football team at Grambling State was hit with a Level One APR penalty, the NCAA announced after releasing its Annual Progress Rate report Wednesday afternoon.

Grambling’s football team failed to meet the minimum academic standard of 930 over the four-year period the NCAA grades as the 923 it posted from academic years 2012-13 to 2016-17 results in a reduction a practice time. During the fall, the reigning two-time SWAC champion Tigers will lose four hours per week of time on the field, reduced from 20 to 16 hours over five days and those four hours will be replaced with academic time.

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The football program was one of four that was subject to a Level One APR penalty. Last year, the football team came in at 930 and got as high as 938 in 2015, increasing from 927 the year prior.

The NCAA handed GSU’s softball program a Level Two penalty, a postseason ban, for its 919 APR score, actually up two points from last year’s mark. Wednesday’s findings marked the second straight year the Lady Tigers team was reprimanded for their academic performance, receiving a Level One penalty and reduced practice time for this past season. GSU was one of nine teams that are banned from postseason play in the 2018-19 athletic year.

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On- and off-the-field performance from his team led to softball coach Wilbert Early getting fired earlier this month, ending his 12-year stint at Grambling State.

Noticeably absent from the NCAA’s findings is the Grambling men’s basketball program. Donte Jackson in his first year as the head coach led the G-Men to the regular season SWAC championship, but due to the APR issues under former coach Shawn Walker, his team couldn’t compete in the conference tournament this year. Next season, GSU will be postseason eligible.

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Grambling’s volleyball team was also handed a Level One penalty and will face a reduction of practice time this fall.

The one lone postseason ban and just the two other penalties is an academic improvement for Grambling State's athletic department. Last year, four teams accrued sanctions, three of which were postseason bans.

As a whole, the NCAA saw a decrease in the number of teams it has to levy APR penalties, from 26 to 12. In postseason bans, the number dropped from 17 to nine Division I programs.

Among the SWAC, Grambling is one of three league mates dealing with APR sanctions. Alabama A&M was hit the hardest with its men’s basketball, men’s golf, men’s track and field and women’s cross country all levied postseason bans. A&M’s baseball team was handed a Level Two penalty, getting in and out of season restrictions, but no ban. Mississippi Valley State’s baseball also received a postseason ban.

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