N.C. State, East Carolina, Gardner-Webb and UNC-Greensboro are being penalized for failing to meet the NCAA standard for academic progress under the association's academic reform plan adopted four years ago.

But none of the area's major, revenue-producing teams have been punished, according to information and data released today by the sanctioning body for college sports.

NCSU is losing almost one full scholarship in men's wrestling; it is the only ACC school on the list of penalized institutions.

East Carolina, as it announced last night, is losing a scholarship for 2008-09 and practice time in men's basketball.

Gardner-Webb is losing almost two scholarships in football and part of one in men's soccer.

UNC-Greensboro is losing almost one scholarship in baseball, one in men's basketball and a partial one in men's outdoor track.

NCSU, UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke and Wake Forest all reported academic progress rates (APRs) high enough to avoid penalties in men's basketball and football, although NCAA President Myles Brand said today that academic progress in men's basketball continues to be a problem.

Nearly all of the 6,272 Division I teams are achieving or exceeding academic standards based on four years of data, Brand said, with a total of 218 teams at 123 schools being sanctioned.

Each Division I sports team calculates its APR, based on the eligibility, retention and graduation of each athlete. N.C. State reported an APR of 914 in wrestling, missing the 925 threshold. State reported a 960 in men's basketball, a 941 in football and a 943 in baseball.

ECU had an 861 in men's basketball, a 922 in football (it has to come up with an academic improvement plan in that sport) and a 945 in baseball.

Gardner-Webb posted a 921 in men's soccer and a 923 in football while UNC-Greensboro posted a 914 in baseball, a 920 in men's basketball and an 896 in men's outdoor track.

Here are the APR scores for other area schools: Wake Forest football (964), men's basketball (974), baseball (975); Duke football (977), men's basketball (984), baseball (982); UNC-Chapel Hill football (947), men's basketball (995), baseball (985).

“Overall, there is much to be encouraged about with the latest data,” Brand said. “When we started four years ago, baseball and football were in serious trouble. There has been great improvement in both of those sports. We are not out of the woods, however. There are individual institutions that have seen steady decline in APR over the last four years. The situation is dire for them.”

Brand said the Basketball Academic Enhancement Group is working to identify problems and solutions for that sport and expects to complete its work by October.

The overall APR of Division I athletes rose slightly, the latest data show, with increases in both eligibility and retention and a decrease in the number of athletes leaving school while academically ineligible, known as 0-for-2s.

The average APR for all Division I athletes is 961, according to the NCAA. The average APR for men is 951, while the average for women is 969.

Men’s teams with the highest APRs are fencing (977), water polo (975) and gymnastics (973). Baseball (938), football (934) and basketball (928) posted the lowest average APRs for men’s teams.

Women’s teams with the highest APRs are crew (985) and lacrosse (984) and field hockey (983). Women’s bowling posted the lowest APR (941).

The Division I single-year APR has risen nearly four points since data collection began in 2003-04. Several sports have seen increases as well. Since 2003-04, baseball’s APR increased 12 points and football went up nearly 11 points. Men’s basketball’s APR declined each of the past two years before increasing four points compared to last year.