NCAA gives 'Dogs four years probation

By Eddie Hughes

The NCAA infractions committee placed Fresno State’s athletic department on four years of probation Wednesday and approved previous self-imposed sanctions by the university because of violations found in the men’s basketball program.

The NCAA, college athletics’ governing body, handed down its decision, concluding a three-year joint-investigation with the university.

The NCAA added two years of probation onto the university’s sanctions, which already included a self-imposed one-year postseason ban that was satisfied last season. Fresno State is required to vacate its performance in a 2000 NCAA tournament loss to Wisconsin and return 90 percent of the money earned from that appearance.

John Welty, university president, said he estimates the university will have to repay about $100,000 over six years. He also said the men’s basketball program and former coach Jerry Tarkanian would each vacate about 30 wins from their records.

Welty imposed two years of probation, a 2003 postseason ban and a reduction of three scholarships in men’s basketball on March 3, 2003 after the university and the NCAA confirmed allegations of academic fraud in the program.

Fresno State officials had also already decided to forfeit any games in which ineligible players participated and to vacate the men’s basketball team’s 2000 Western Athletic Conference championship.

The NCAA ruled that an agent’s representative, who provided improper cash stipends and travel expenses to a former basketball player and his family members, was not a representative of the university’s interests. Because of this, the university was not held accountable for his actions, infractions committee chair Thomas Yeager said.

None of the major violations involved members of the current Fresno State coaching staff, Yeager said.

Welty admitted Wednesday that the university self-reported a secondary violation of illegal practices involving current Bulldogs coach Ray Lopes.

“ I am aware of most rules in the rulebook,” Lopes said. “And it is my job to be aware of all rules in the rulebook.”

Welty said Fresno State reported this violation in January to the NCAA.

But the 37-page infraction report issued by the NCAA doesn’t mention this violation.

The report cited 11 findings of violations of NCAA legislature.

• During the 1998-99 academic year, a men’s basketball student-athlete received financial aid while not enrolled as a full-time student and was certified as eligible for competition by Fresno State.

• In 2000, former academic advisor Katie Felten arranged for former men’s basketball statistician Stephen Mintz to prepare 17 pieces of course work for two student-athletes and a prospective student-athlete through correspondence courses.

• A student athlete was awarded financial aid in the fall of 2000 without registering as a full-time student.

• A student-athlete who was a nonqualifier was awarded financial aid and practiced with the team during the 1998-99 academic year. A nonqualifier is not allowed to participate in practice or receive aid during his or her first year at the university.

• From 1995-2000, a representative of Fresno State’s athletic interests and owner of a local restaurant provided free meals to several student-athletes.

• During the 2000-01 season, 34 complimentary tickets to 14 different men’s basketball games were given to family of two team members and to friends of another student-athlete.

• Violations occurred from 1995-2001 when assistant coaches violated rules by participating in certain drills and observing preseason pickup games.

• A men’s soccer student-athlete practiced and received financial aid as a nonqualifier in the fall 2000 semester.

• In the spring semester of 1999, a former women’s basketball assistant coach tutored a prospect on at least four occasions to prepare her for the SAT. The assistant also provided transportation for the prospect, who did not earn a certifying score or enroll at Fresno State.

• The university was cited for a lack of institutional control.

• During the 1999-2000 academic year, an agent’s representative provided improper cash stipends ranging from $20 to $300 and travel expenses to a student-athlete and his grandparents in Saginaw, Mich.

The NCAA’s announcement came two days after Tarkanian retired from his position as senior development consultant for the Save Mart Center.

Peter Smits, vice president for university advancement, said Tuesday that Tarkanian’s position was eliminated because of a budget shortfall.

Welty said the NCAA decision had no relation to Tarkanian’s retirement.

Although every major violation occurred during the Tarkanian regime, Welty said no violations directly involved the former coach.

By self-imposing a postseason ban in 2003, Fresno State will be able to host the 2004 WAC tournament at the new Save Mart Center and compete for a postseason berth in either the NCAA tournament or the National Invitation Tournament.

Yeager said if a postseason ban had not been imposed last season, a ban would have been issued for 2004.

“ At that time, our administration did a great job,” said Lopes, of the decision to keep the 2003 team out of the postseason.

Because of current probation, the athletic program at Fresno State is vulnerable to harsher penalties under the repeat violator rule if another violation in any sport occurs within five years-—including the possibility of the death penalty, according to NCAA rules. This would mean suspension of the program in violation for one or two years and a loss of scholarships.

“ This has been a time that has been difficult and I do not want to repeat again,” Welty said.