The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- May 24, 1999

Men's soccer player reprimanded

The NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Committee has reprimanded University of Maryland, College Park, student-athlete Randy Merkel for inappropriate behavior during the semifinal round of the 1998 Division I Men's Soccer Championship.

Specifically, Merkel head-butted an opposing player from Stanford University.

The Division I committee has issued a public reprimand of Merkel. In addition, the committee decided to withhold per diem and transportation payment to Maryland for the student-athlete's participation in Richmond.

Had Merkel not been a senior, the committee would also have withheld him from the next NCAA championship game in which he otherwise would have been eligible.