National Collegiate Athletic Association

Division II

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Merrimack College men’s soccer student-athletes reprimanded for misconduct

A public reprimand and certain penalties have been issued for Merrimack College men’s soccer student-athletes Franklin Lemus Pena and Alejandro Fuchs for misconduct during the 2012 NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer Championship.

Specifically, Lemus Pena was found to have engaged in misconduct by using foul and abusive language while confronting a referee, leading to a red card being issued during the second-round match against Southern New Hampshire University. Furthermore, Lemus Pena gave a slight push to the chest of the referee when leaving the field of play.

Fuchs was found by the men’s soccer committee to have engaged in misconduct by approaching and verbally assaulting the officiating crew after the conclusion of the game, to the point of security having to physically restrain him.

“The committee was extremely disappointed in the behavior of both student-athletes and believes these actions have no place in the sport of soccer,” said Dennis Helsel, chair of the NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer Committee and director of athletics at Chowan University.