CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) North Carolina earned another high finish among college sports programs after a season of strong tournament showings. The Tar Heels are also wrapping up yet another year of off-field issues, including an NCAA investigation into academics.
UNC finished fifth in the final Directors' Cup Division I standings released on Thursday.
In an interview with The Associated Press, athletic director Bubba Cunningham cited high points in a 2014-15 season that included 25 of 28 teams competing in postseason play and an overall 2.96 GPA for athletes. But he also knows the school is likely a year away from resolution in an academic fraud scandal that has ''overshadowed'' on-field successes.
The NCAA hit UNC with five charges last month, and the school must respond by Aug. 18. UNC also faces a year of probation from its accreditation agency.
