HBCU Football Postseason Bans: A History of Challenges and Disparities
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have long been an integral part of the American higher education landscape, providing opportunities for African American students and fostering a rich tradition of academic and athletic excellence. However, these institutions have often faced unique challenges, particularly in the realm of athletics, due to financial constraints and limited resources. One recurring issue that has plagued HBCU athletic programs is the imposition of postseason bans due to low Academic Progress Rates (APR).
Understanding the APR and its Impact
The Academic Progress Rate (APR) is a metric used by the NCAA to assess the academic performance of student-athletes. It measures the retention and eligibility of athletes, assigning points for each player who stays in school and remains academically eligible. Teams are scored on a scale up to 1000, with a minimum multi-year average of 930 required to avoid penalties. Teams scoring below 930 can face consequences intended to direct additional focus to academics. These consequences, part of the Academic Performance Program penalty structure, include two levels, with penalties increasing in severity in level two.
When a team's APR falls below the 930 benchmark, it can face various penalties, including:
- Practice Restrictions: Reducing the amount of time teams can spend practicing each week. For example, reducing their weekly practice time from 20 hours to 16 hours, with the extra 4 hours allocated to academics.
- Postseason Ineligibility: Being banned from participating in conference championship games, bowl games, or the NCAA Tournament.
The APR is a formula concocted by the NCAA that came into place to address concerns regarding how student-athletes in certain sports were graduating. But note that half of the computation for the APR has to do with retention, not academics. That means if an athlete drops out due to family finances or family issues, that counts against the schools APR numbers.
Historical Context of Postseason Bans for HBCUs
HBCU programs have historically been overrepresented among programs penalized for low APR scores. In 2015, for example, 15 of the 21 teams facing postseason bans were from HBCUs. Several HBCUs have faced postseason bans due to low APR scores, impacting their ability to compete at the highest level.
Read also: Explore Lincoln University's legacy
In 2019, six of the eight teams that received postseason bans in a specific sport for falling short of the NCAA’s required APR score came from four different HBCUs. In 2018, seven of the nine programs that received postseason bans belonged to HBCUs. Those totals are an improvement from 2016, when 22 HBCU teams were denied postseason eligibility; Southern had nine teams receive a postseason ban that year.
In the 2022-2023 academic year, UAPB’s football program recorded an APR of 914, while MVSU posted a score of 904. Both scores fall below the NCAA’s 930 benchmark, resulting in Level One penalties, including practice reductions.
In the 2024 season, MVSU’s football team struggled, finishing with a 1-11 record. UAPB also faced on-field challenges in 2024 that reflected broader issues within the program.
The seven schools hit with APR postseason bans in football are Alabama State, Florida A&M, Prairie View A&M, Savannah State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Mississippi Valley State, and St. Francis (PA). Of these seven, the largest athletics department, in terms of spending and revenues, is the Red Flash of St. Francis (PA), who spent $11.8 million for the year. The average spending and revenues of these seven schools net out to $8.4 million per athetic department per year, and collectively amount to less than the dollar value the University of Alabama spends on football alone during a season.
Factors Contributing to Low APR Scores at HBCUs
Several factors contribute to the challenges HBCUs face in maintaining satisfactory APR scores:
Read also: HBCU Swingman Classic: Tickets and Prices
- Financial Constraints: HBCUs often operate with significantly smaller budgets than predominantly white institutions (PWIs). This can limit their ability to provide comprehensive academic support services to student-athletes.
- Limited Resources: Compared to their Division I counterparts, HBCUs often have fewer academic advisors, tutors, and other support staff dedicated to assisting student-athletes. Take the SWAC’s Mississippi schools for example. Jackson State has four academic employees who aren’t graduate assistants listed on its athletics staff directory. Alcorn State has four as well. Mississippi Valley State has two. Meanwhile, Ole Miss has a total of 14 employees listed under the categories of Academic Counseling or Academic Enrichment. And Mississippi State’s athletic department has 10 staffers with titles devoted to academics. Florida A&M, a member of the MEAC, has two academic employees in its athletic department. The Rattlers play their home games less than two miles away from Florida State, which has 13 academic staffers for athletics and several interns.
- Student Demographics: Many HBCUs serve a high percentage of first-generation college students and students from low-income backgrounds. These students may face additional academic and personal challenges that can impact their APR scores. “We’ve been educating first-generation college attendees,” SWAC commissioner Duer Sharp said several years ago in an article for NCAA.com. “A lot of times, we are second-chance universities for kids who struggled and wanted another chance at an education and an athletic career in an atmosphere that is beneficial to them.”
- Retention Issues: A significant portion of the APR calculation is based on student retention. HBCUs may struggle to retain students due to financial difficulties or family issues, which can negatively impact their APR scores. With half scholarships, when a student’s family’s financial situation takes a turn for the worse, many times it’s not enough to keep them from dropping out of school. This is in addition to the fact that many of these schools have it as their charter to accept students that otherwise might not have a chance to go to college at all.
NCAA Initiatives and Support for Limited-Resource Schools
The NCAA has recognized the unique challenges faced by limited-resource schools, including HBCUs, and has implemented programs to provide support. The committee has supported limited-resource schools, including historically black colleges and universities, by allowing teams that meet specific criteria to avoid penalties and/or loss of access to the postseason in some circumstances.
For example, limited-resource teams historically have avoided penalties and/or loss of access to postseason by showing academic improvement by teams at the school. That standard remains available, but a team can use it only twice within a 5-year period. Additionally, the national office provides educational initiatives to help limited-resource schools offer increased academic support to student-athletes. Schools may request a waiver from some or all penalty or postseason elements. Waivers are overseen by the Committee on Academics.
- Limited-Resource Waivers: The NCAA allows teams that meet specific criteria to avoid penalties or loss of access to the postseason in certain circumstances.
- Academic Improvement Plans: Teams can avoid penalties by demonstrating academic improvement.
- Educational Initiatives: The NCAA provides educational resources to help limited-resource schools enhance academic support for student-athletes.
The Impact of COVID-19 on HBCU Athletics
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the challenges faced by HBCU athletic programs. The pandemic has impacted HBCU athletic departments already live in a harsh reality, but that outlook is even bleaker as the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to stress their institutions beyond the breaking point financially and academically.
- Financial Strain: The cancellation of games and events has resulted in significant revenue losses for HBCU athletic departments, further limiting their ability to provide academic support. Many of those budgets are supported by student fees, which will decrease as enrollment drops, and by football. HBCUs generally aren’t drawing from donor bases anywhere near the likes of their opponents on Saturdays in size or financial might. The obstacles to balancing the books whenever school reopens will be numerous.
- Shift to Remote Learning: The transition to online learning has presented additional challenges for HBCU student-athletes, particularly those who lack access to technology or a stable learning environment. The forced switch to remote learning provides other complications, too. Some student-athletes had on-campus access to things like laptops and the internet that they don’t have at home. “We had kids floating around restaurant parking lots stealing Wi-Fi,” said Bethune-Cookman athletic director Lynn Thompson. “We have kids trying to do lessons on cell phones.”
- Health and Safety Concerns: The pandemic has raised concerns about the health and safety of student-athletes and fans, potentially impacting attendance and revenue. African-Americans have been infected by and have died from COVID-19 at alarming rates. A combination of several aggravating factors - less access to healthcare, more pre-existing health conditions and a common inability to work from home - has left the community vulnerable.
Strategies for Improving APR Scores at HBCUs
Addressing the issue of low APR scores at HBCUs requires a multifaceted approach:
- Increased Funding: Investing in academic support services, such as tutoring, advising, and mentoring programs.
- Enhanced Academic Oversight: Hiring more academic advisors and support staff to monitor student-athlete progress.
- Targeted Interventions: Identifying at-risk students and providing them with individualized support.
- Financial Aid and Scholarships: Providing financial assistance to help students overcome financial barriers to staying in school.
- Community Engagement: Building partnerships with local organizations to provide additional resources and support to student-athletes.
Read also: Top HBCU Bands
tags: #hbcu #football #postseason #ban #history
