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NCAA Division II Committee on Infractions Issues Decision on University of West Georgia

For Immediate Release

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Contact(s)

Stacey Osburn
Associate Director of Public and Media Relations
317/917-6117


INDIANAPOLIS---The NCAA Division II Committee on Infractions has penalized the University of West Georgia for multiple major violations occurring from 2004 through the 2008-09 academic year. The committee found the university failed to have a viable system of athletics compliance in place, which led 119 student-athletes in all 11 sports to practice, compete or receive financial aid and travel expenses while ineligible. This led to findings of a lack of institutional control, the university’s failure to monitor, and unethical conduct by the former head women’s volleyball coach and the former director of athletics.

Penalties for the violations, including those self-imposed by the university, are four years of probation; vacation of records; a reduction in available scholarships; recruiting restrictions and a $2,500 financial penalty. In addition, the former head coach and former director of athletics both received a two-year show-cause penalty.

These show-cause penalties outline how these individuals' athletically related duties must be limited at their present and any future employing institutions. The public report further details these limitations.

This case was resolved through the summary disposition process, a cooperative effort where the involved parties submit the case to the Committee on Infractions in written form. When the NCAA enforcement staff, the university and involved individuals agree to the facts of the case and penalties proposed by the university, they may use this process instead of a formal hearing.

The student-athletes in this case were ineligible for a variety of reasons, including failing to receive final eligibility certification, failure to satisfy transfer requirements, lack of amateurism certification, failure to meet the institutional standard of good academic standing, enrollment in fewer than 12 hours, and failure to fulfill various progress-toward-degree requirements. Additional violations attributable to the lack of a compliance system were the failure of the athletics department to maintain countable activity records, and failure to notify student-athletes by July 1 that their athletic scholarships would not be renewed.

During the summer of 2006, the former head coach provided a round-trip airline ticket to a prospective student-athlete and provided her with impermissible benefits, including a $100 gift card and $630 money order. These actions led to the unethical conduct finding for the former head coach.

The former director of athletics also engaged in unethical conduct when he failed to cooperate with the NCAA. As the scope of the violations was becoming evident, the NCAA enforcement staff attempted on five different occasions to contact him for the purposes of conducting an interview. On all occasions, he refused to respond to the staff or cooperate with the investigation.

The penalties in this case are as follows:

  • Public reprimand and censure.
  • Four years of probation from January 21, 2010 to January 20, 2014.
  • Vacation of all wins in which ineligible student-athletes competed. Details of this vacation penalty are included in the public report.
  • Two-year show-cause order for the former head coach (January 21, 2010, to January 20, 2012).
  • Two-year show-cause order for the former director of athletics (January 21, 2010, to January 20, 2012).
  • Reduction in off-campus recruiting opportunities and official paid visits as detailed in the public report.
  • Athletics financial aid reductions as detailed in the public report.
  • The university shall pay a $2,500 penalty (self-imposed by the university).

The members of the NCAA Division II Committee on Infractions who reviewed this case are Wendy Taylor May, chair, senior associate athletics director, University of California, San Diego; Bruce Kirsh, athletics director and vice president, Franklin Pierce University; Jean Paul Bradshaw II, attorney, Lathrop & Gage L.C; Bridget Lyons, senior associate director of athletics, Barry University; and Julie Rochester, faculty athletics representative and associate professor, Northern Michigan University.