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The NCAA News -- September 27, 1999

Infractions case: Michigan State University

Michigan State University's probation has been extended by two years to 2001, and the Division I Committee on Infractions has placed limitations on the number of official paid visits in two sports and reduced financial aid awards in one sport for major violations in the women's track and field and men's wrestling programs.

Michigan State originally was placed on probation in 1996 in connection with violations in its football program.

Violations of NCAA bylaws governing extra benefits, recruiting, coaching limitations, eligibility and ethical conduct were found. The committee found many of the violations to be secondary. The committee decided not to impose all presumptive and repeat-violator penalties permitted because there was no finding of a lack of institutional control and the involved sports differed from that of the previous case, and because Michigan State put appropriate corrective measures in place and imposed its own meaningful penalties.

Among penalties, the Committee on Infractions placed NCAA "show-cause" requirements on the former head women's track coach and a former volunteer assistant women's track coach, both from September 1, 1999, to June 30, 2000. A show-cause penalty requires any NCAA institution seeking to employ an individual subject to show-cause provisions to appear before the Committee on Infractions. The committee determines whether the individual's athletically related duties should be limited for a specified time.

The committee found that two ineligible women's track and field student-athletes were allowed to practice during the 1995-96 academic year and that improper recruiting of another prospective track and field student-athlete occurred during December 1996.

The committee also found that the former head women's track and field coach and a volunteer assistant women's track and field coach violated the NCAA's provisions of ethical conduct. It was determined that both attempted to influence the statements of student-athletes involved in the university's internal investigation.

In the wrestling program, 11 prospective wrestling student-athletes were improperly employed at summer camps for several years and improper recruiting inducements were provided for five wrestling student-athletes from 1995 to 1997. For example, the student-athletes received excessive reimbursement for official paid transportation, clothing, lodging and automobile transportation.

Several secondary violations also were found in both programs.

The university took a number of corrective actions and imposed its own penalties. Those penalties, which were adopted by the Committee on Infractions, were:

  • The women's track and field program was placed on probation for two years, beginning January 1, 1997.

  • The head women's track and field coach was replaced as head coach with employment ending January 31, 1997.

  • The volunteer assistant women's track and field coach was not retained as a coach for the 1996-97 academic year. The position also remained unfilled that year. The volunteer was disassociated from the institution's athletics program.

  • Another volunteer assistant women's track and field coach was disassociated from the institution's athletics programs.

  • The university reduced by two the total number of athletics financial aid grants available in the sport of women's track and field for 1997-98.

  • Several women's track and field student-athletes were declared ineligible for their sport. Restoration of eligibility was sought from the Big Ten Conference and the NCAA.

  • The wrestling program was placed on probation beginning July 1, 1998.

  • The head wrestling coach was suspended from coaching duties for 60 days.

  • The head wrestling coach's salary was maintained at the same level as 1997-98 during the 1998-99 year.

  • A letter of reprimand was issued to the head wrestling coach.

  • A former volunteer assistant wrestling coach has been disassociated from the university's athletics interests.

  • During probation, the wrestling staff is not permitted to make housing arrangements or arrange local jobs for prospective student-athletes who have signed National Letters of Intent with the university.

  • No prospective student-athletes will be allowed access to the university's wrestling facilities for purposes of training or wrestling before attending the university.

  • The head wrestling coach is responsible for directing and managing all aspects of the university's summer wrestling camp. The head coach was required to work the 1998 summer wrestling camp for a flat salary and was not permitted to participate in profit sharing from the camp.

  • The wrestling program's athletics grants-in-aid were reduced by 1.5 scholarships for the 1999-00 and 2000-01 academic years.

  • Several student-athletes were declared ineligible. The university appealed for restoration to the Big Ten Conference and the NCAA.

    The following additional penalties were imposed because of the high number of secondary violations in the case, some involving the former head women's track and field coach and because of the large number of violations in the wrestling program, some involving the head wrestling coach:

  • Public reprimand and censure.

  • Extension of the university's current four-year probation from a previous infractions case by two years to December 2, 2001.

  • The number of expenses-paid visits to the university's campus for women's track and field will be limited to 3 during 1999-00 and 2000-01.

  • The former head women's track and field coach has been advised in writing by the NCAA that if she seeks employment of affiliation in an athletically related position at an NCAA member institution during a period of time beginning with the date her employment was terminated at the university and from September 1, 1999, to June 30, 2000, she and the involved institution would be requested to appear before the Committee on Infractions to determine if the institution would be subject to the NCAA's show-cause procedures.

  • A former volunteer assistant women's track and field coach is subject to the same penalty as the former head women's coach.

  • In addition to the self-imposed reduction of 1.5 initial athletically related financial aid awards in wrestling for the current and 2000-01 academic years, the wrestling program will be required to reduce one additional financial aid award in wrestling during the 2001-02 academic year.

  • The university will be limited to no more than eight official paid visits in wrestling for the current academic year and 2000-01.

  • During its probation, the university will continue to build its compliance program for athletics staff.

  • The university's president will recertify in a letter to the committee that all current athletics policies and practices conform to NCAA regulations.

    As required by NCAA legislation for any institution involved in a major infractions case, Michigan State is subject to the NCAA's repeat-violator provisions for a five-year period beginning on the date of the hearing in this case, June 6, 1999.

    The members of the Division I Committee on Infractions who heard this case are: Jack H. Friedenthal, committee chair and professor of law, George Washington University; Frederick B. Lacey, attorney and retired judge, LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRea; James Park Jr., attorney and retired judge, Brown, Todd & Heyburn, Lexington, Kentucky; David Swank, professor of law, University of Oklahoma; and Thomas E. Yeager, commissioner, Colonial Athletic Association.