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NCAA adds third year to South Carolina's probation
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- The NCAA handed South Carolina a third year of probation, but did not impose sanctions on TV appearances or bowl games for 10 violations that occurred during the tenure of retired coach Lou Holtz.
The NCAA Committee on Infractions reviewed South Carolina's case earlier this month. Committee vice chairman Josephine Potuto wrote University President Andrew Sorensen on Aug. 16 that the group "concurred that the university's investigation into the violations set forth in the report was thorough and complete," according to a letter released Wednesday.
The panel adopted South Carolina's proposed penalties that included a loss of four scholarships and 12 paid on-campus visits over seasons, and
-- increased the probation period to three years from two;
-- "because an element of academic fraud" was involved in some violations, according to the NCAA, it required the school to forward infractions report to its regional accrediting agency;
-- imposed a four-year show cause order should former South Carolina administrator Tom Perry try for employment at another athletic department.
Sorensen accepted the additional penalties and waived the school's right to a further hearing.
"We are satisfied with the results," South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said. "We appreciate the NCAA basically agreeing with our proposal. For the next couple of years, we will only have 83 players on scholarship."
In July, the university released a summary disposition report, prepared jointly with the NCAA, that outlined 10 violations -- five which South Carolina admitted were major. The NCAA said one violation that the school deemed secondary was a major infraction. The disagreement will be settled in the NCAA's final report to the school, university spokesman Russ McKinney said.
New South Carolina athletic director Eric Hyman said the NCAA's decision "brings closure to this situation."
Perry, an ex-senior associate athletic director for academic support services, was at the center of the most serious violations. The report found Perry arranged for impermissible tutoring help during the summer of 2001 for two prospective players who were coming from two-year colleges. After the incident was self-reported, Perry declared the athletes ineligible and made the players make restitution for the tutoring.
The NCAA panel's letter appears to close a case that it first looked into more than three years ago. Holtz has repeatedly refused to return messages from The Associated Press seeking comment. However, at a celebrity golf tournament last month, he said "five of the violations were reported by us, there was no money involved, no recruiting violations, no enticements, but nevertheless, we don't want any marks against us."
Sorensen was gratified the committee found the majority of South Carolina's penalties appropriate.
"Carolina takes seriously its obligation as a NCAA member institution, and we shall continue to pursue with vigilance and honesty our goal of full compliance with all NCAA policies and procedures," Sorensen said in a written statement.
McGee said he was confident corrective actions the school and athletic department took put South Carolina "in a solid position to ensure that the violations do not reoccur."
McGee understood Sorensen accepting a third year of probation.
Hyman, McGee's replacement, said he hopes the school can learn from what happened and move forward. He said he'll work "to ensure that our athletics department embodies the values and ethics that higher education represents."
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, maybe just a few bad decisions by some of his underlings. Can't take exception to that! Thanks, ESPiN, it's good that you show your true colors and remind us about the cesspool of distorted values that seems to be your foundation.
