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Suspension issued to Valdosta State University football student-athlete

Head coach issued public reprimand

A Valdosta State University football student-athlete has been suspended from the team’s next game and the head football coach has been publicly reprimanded for misconduct during the 2012 NCAA Division II Football Championship.

The NCAA Division II Football Committee said football student-athlete Regginald Lewis will be held out of Valdosta State’s quarterfinal contest, against Carson-Newman College this Saturday (Dec. 1), for targeting and hitting a University of West Alabama football student-athlete on a kickoff during the Division II preliminary round match-up. Valdosta State Head Coach David Dean is also issued a public reprimand for the actions Lewis took.

The committee originally assessed the reprimand and Valdosta State appealed the decision to the NCAA Division II Championships Appeals Subcommittee. The Subcommittee reviewed relevant materials and correspondence from the institution before making its final decision to uphold the decision by the football committee.

“The football committee was extremely disappointed with the unsportsmanlike action taken by the student-athlete,” said Frank Condino, chair of the Division II Football Committee and director of athletics at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. “Head coaches and student-athletes sign a code of conduct before each round of the championship that clearly defines the expectations of sportsmanship to be displayed. Mr. Lewis’ on the field action violated this agreement and has no place in Division II football. It also served as a discredit to the championship. It is the head coach’s responsibility to keep his student-athletes accountable to this sportsmanship agreement.”