The Athletics Department at California State University, Fresno has received results of an NCAA investigation of rule violations that were self-reported by the university last year. The NCAA accepted the university’s previously self-imposed penalties, and added three additional years of probation. The probation will extend to 2010.
The probation requires that the university submit additional compliance reports, provide educational efforts among university staff regarding compliance issues and enhance its monitoring efforts in recruitment.
The NCAA also issued a three-year “show-cause” penalty on former men’s basketball coach Ray Lopes. The penalty means that if Lopes seeks athletically related employment with another NCAA institution, both Lopes and the hiring institution must appear before the NCAA Committee on Infractions to determine whether his duties should be limited.
“The university has received the review by the NCAA and will immediately implement the recommendations,” said President John D. Welty.
Welty noted that last November the university took strong actions — which were acknowledged by the NCAA — to underscore the university’s commitment to NCAA rules compliance.
“We self imposed serious penalties, including holding our men’s basketball team out of post-season competition, as well as re-examining our policies and procedures related to compliance,” Welty said.
Gene Marsh, chair of the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions, speaking at a press conference Wednesday, commended the “appropriate and thoughtfully imposed” sanctions that the university announced last year. Welty’s actions in self-imposing the sanctions were “impressive” and viewed favorably by the committee as it considered penalties.
Since the violations came to light last spring at the university, all members of the previous coaching staff have been replaced. Thomas Boeh has been hired as athletics director and a full compliance review was recently completed by an outside consultant. In addition, Boeh appointed a new Senior Associate Athletics Director, Betsy Mosher, who has significant expertise regarding NCAA rules compliance.
Welty said that Fresno State is committed to fully comply with NCAA rules and will vigorously undertake the actions announced today by the NCAA.
In addition to the three years’ probation and public reprimand issued by the NCAA, Fresno State’s self-imposed sanctions announced last November and now accepted by the NCAA are:
n The university added a one-year probationary period to its previous probation. With that addition and the NCAA’s three years, the university’s probation will be in place until April 25, 2010.
n Men’s basketball did not participate in post-season play in 2006.
n The men’s basketball program now is operating with the following specific telephone call restrictions:
o No telephone calls will be allowed to Sophomore prospective student-athletes (Class of 2008) during the ’05-’06 recruiting period for this age group (June/July 2006);
o Only one telephone call to each Junior prospective student-athlete (Class of 2007) will be allowed during July of 2006.
o Official recruiting visits in the men’s basketball program were reduced by 50% (from 12 to 6) for 2005-2006 academic year.
n Men’s basketball will have a 33% reduction in the recruiting-day limitation (from 130 days to 86 days) for the ’05-’06 and ’06-’07 years.
n The university developed a new telephone call monitoring system. That system is now in place.
Commenting on the response, Thomas Boeh, Fresno State Director of Athletics stated, “The adjudication of this case by the NCAA was fair. I believe the university received credit for its assistance in the investigation, the self-imposed penalties and the resultant actions relative to the basketball program. We hope the community at large will assist us as we continue to create an athletics environment that embraces a culture of compliance and integrity.”
