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University of Nebraska at Kearney wrestling student-athlete suspended for conduct

INDIANAPOLIS -- University of Nebraska at Kearney wrestling student-athlete Patrick Martinez received a public reprimand and an eight-match suspension for his misconduct during the 2013 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships.

The NCAA Division II Wrestling Committee originally issued the reprimand and suspension, and Nebraska-Kearney appealed the suspension to the Division II Appeals Subcommittee. The subcommittee reviewed relevant materials, submitted correspondence and statements made during the appeal hearing in the process of making its final decision.

Specifically, Martinez used profane language and had a physical altercation with the opposition’s coaches following his match at the 2013 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships. Martinez’s misconduct led the subcommittee to uphold his suspension from the first eight matches he is eligible to compete that counts towards the NCAA maximum sixteen dates. A date constitutes as an official event that the team is represented as a team. The suspension cannot be applied in open tournament competition where participation is less than that of the entire team. In addition to issuing the public reprimand and suspension, the committee is withholding the student-athlete’s championship travel costs of $2,170, which the school must pay back. The money will be redirected to fund the Division II Make-A-Wish foundation account.

“The appeals subcommittee agreed with the wrestling committee that the behavior of Mr. Martinez was unacceptable and has no place in the sport,” said Erin Lind, chair of the NCAA Division II Championships Committee and associate commissioner of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.