Juan Villa / Collegian File Photo

Sophomore guard̢۪s stint with Australian pro team leads to suspension and possibly more

Fresno State point guard Emma Andrews will sit out the 2008-09 season due to a violation of NCAA regulations.

Andrews, a sophomore from Victoria, Australia, unknowingly violated an NCAA amateurism standard by playing with a semi-professional team, the Dadenong Rangers, in Australia̢۪s Women̢۪s National Basketball League when she was 16 and 17 years old.

The violation could possibly force Fresno State to forfeit last season̢۪s Western Athletic Conference (WAC) title and tournament title, but the NCAA has ruled it will not affect the Bulldogs̢۪ status in the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

Andrews was slated to be the starting point guard this season and averaged 5.2 points per game for the Bulldogs last season.

“My aim now this year is to be the hardest worker on my team,â€Â Andrews said. “I’m going to show up every day and work extra hard.â€Â

Andrews will be allowed to practice with the team and remain on scholarship, but she can̢۪t travel with the team and must sit out the first three games of the 2009-10 season as well.

Fresno State will not be required to pay the standard $5,000 fine for letting an ineligible athlete play because the NCAA ruled “the institution did not show and should not have known of Andrews’ participation.â€Â

Andrews played in seven games with the Rangers, accumulating 32 minutes of play. When she did play for the team it was in a reserve role, playing “mop-upâ€Â minutes. Andrews never received monetary compensation for playing with the Rangers, nor did she travel with the team.

Andrews̢۪ mother, Cheryl Andrews, worked with the team and brought Emma Andrews to practice with her so she wouldn̢۪t be home alone after school.

Cheryl Andrews and the coach allowed Andrews to sit on the bench during home games, but to do this, Emma Andrews had to sign an amateur player agreement.

Andrews filled out the necessary paperwork with the university and the NCAA Amateurism Clearinghouse without mentioning her time with the Rangers because she thought it wasn̢۪t significant.

“It was her mom’s team, so it never even occurred to her to write this down and let us know this happened,â€Â said Senior Associate Athletic Director Betsy Mosher.

Fresno State did not find out about the infraction until March 2008, following the 2007-08 season. Since then, the university has been working with the NCAA student-athlete reinstatement staff and committee to discuss the status of Andrews̢۪ eligibility.

Coach Adrian Wiggins said Andrews̢۪ replacement could be last season̢۪s backup, senior LaToya Brown, or UC Santa Barbara transfer LaShay Fears.

The WAC is still debating whether or not it will revoke Fresno State̢۪s conference and tournament titles from last season.

“I think it’s fair to have rules, I think it’s fair to expect to go by the rules, you always want to honor that.â€Â Wiggins said.

By Jimmy Graben and Logan Hopkins / The Collegian