The Colonial Athletic Association was rocked earlier this year by the departure of three of its top basketball squads – Old Dominion, Virginia Commonwealth, and Georgia State.
On Wednesday, the league got more bad news, as Academic Progress Report figures were released by the NCAA and revealed that members UNC Wilmington and Towson will be ineligible for the postseason.
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The CAA tournament was formerly one of the most competitive mid-major tournaments in the NCAA. But next year, it’s likely only seven teams will compete. VCU’s departure for the A-10 was immediate, while ODU and Georgia State have been banned from the tournament before heading for Conference USA for 2013-14.
Other teams barred from the NCAA tournament based on poor academic performance are U-Conn, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Cal-Riverside, Cal State Bakersfield, Jacksonville State, Mississippi Valley State, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and Toledo.
In football, no FBS teams were banned from the postseason, but three FCS teams – Hampton, North Carolina A&T, and Texas Southern – will not be eligible for the postseason.
For Towson, this is a major blow in the rebuilding efforts of coach Pat Skerry, who has recruited several promising players in hopes of making the Tigers competitive in 2012-13. In January, Towson ended its NCAA-record 41-game losing streak with a victory over – guess who — UNCW.
