NCAA upholds UConn post-season ban

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STORRS, Conn., April 5 (UPI) -- The NCAA told the University of Connecticut Thursday its last appeal had been denied and it will be banned from post-season basketball play next season.

The ban had been put in place due to rules governing academic progress by athletes. Thursday's notification came from the NCAA's committee on academic performance.

"I want to be clear that everyone at UConn is and will always be committed to academic excellence for all of our student-athletes and in particular our men's basketball players," Athletic Director Warde Manuel said. "Before we even began this appeal process, the university and its division of athletics began to implement changes that were designed to positively impact the academic performance of our men's basketball student-athletes. We have and will continue to make adjustments designed to help these young men succeed."

The NCAA ruling was based on academic progress made during the school years 2007 through 2011. Although the numbers from the 2011 season were satisfactory, the previous years brought the average down to the point that Connecticut did not comply with NCAA standards.

"I am very proud of our current men's basketball student-athletes, who have worked hard in the classroom and enjoyed academic success," said UConn President Susan Herbst. "It is disturbing that our current players must pay a penalty for the academic performance of students no longer enrolled. As I have said repeatedly, no educator or parent purposefully punishes young people for the failings of others."