NCAA clears SU for postseason play in 2015-16

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern University's NCAA-imposed postseason ban as a result of the unusable data probation has been lifted, interim athletics director Roman Banks announced Friday.

During Friday's meeting in the J.S. Clark Administration building, Banks informed the SU Board of Supervisors that all athletic programs are postseason eligible for the 2015-16 academic year and revert to having their Academic Progress Rate scores determine postseason eligibility.

Furthermore, Southern's fall certification is a key and ongoing component in culminating the department's unusable data probationary period.

"I think the university came together," Banks said. "I think [the] great leadership of this university, starting with our [Board of Supervisors], pushed - to the [system] president, to the chancellor, to the direct personnel at the institutions - to bring our departments together and have oversight and find our way to get pass where we are now."

"Now, [our coaches] can go out an have a chance to put ourselves in a better recruiting spot."

Beginning with 2012-13 championships, NCAA Division I institutions must earn a minimum 900 four-year APR or a 930 average over the most recent two years to be eligible to participate. For 2014-15 championships, teams must earn a 930 four-year average APR or a 940 average over the most recent two years to participate in championships. In 2015-16 and beyond, teams must earn a four-year APR of 930 to compete in championships.

Southern learned the 2013-14 student-athlete data submitted to the NCAA has been deemed accurate and serves as the department's starting point for the calculation of future multi-year APR scores.

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