MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota men's basketball program was placed on four years' probation and stripped of five scholarships Tuesday for what the NCAA termed "academic fraud" and some of "the most serious" rules violations in two decades.
The Golden Gophers will not be banned from another year of postseason play,
although that was "seriously considered," according to an NCAA news release
obtained by The Associated Press.
University officials had hoped to avoid such a ban.
In addition, three former university employees, including former coach Clem
Haskins, will have to come before the NCAA infractions committee if they want
to return to college sports.
For Haskins, that "show cause" period is seven
years.
The scholarship reduction is spread over three years.
The committee agreed with the university's conclusions that from 1994 to
1998, a former tutor did some 400 pieces of coursework for at least 18 men's
basketball student-athletes.
"The violations were significant, widespread and intentional," the NCAA said in its release. "More than that, their nature -- academic fraud --
undermined the bedrock foundation of a university and the operation of its intercollegiate athletics program."
The punishment from the NCAA was first reported Monday night by the Saint Paul Pioneer Press and the Star Tribune of Minneapolis, and latter confirmed to the AP by a school official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The NCAA planned formal release of the report later Tuesday.
The scandal broke in March 1999, when former tutor and office manager Jan
Gangelhoff came forward with her story of helping athletes cheat.
The NCAA commended Minnesota for its investigation and comprehensive
self-punishment, which included an offer to repay 90 percent of its money for
playing in the 1994, 1995 and 1997 NCAA basketball tournaments, or about
$350,000.
But the NCAA ordered that team records from the NCAA tournament and National
Invitation Tournament -- and the tournament records of players who engaged in academic fraud from 1993-94 through 1998-99 -- be erased.
Haskins, who accepted a $1.5 million buyout to leave the school several months after Gangelhoff came forward, also will have those tournament victories
and any mention of the Final Four appearance erased from his record.
The infractions committee's report found that Gangelhoff, a former office
manager in the university's academic counseling unit, completed coursework for
at least 18 basketball players -- and that former academic adviser Alonzo Newby arranged the work with Haskins' knowledge.
Newby and Gangelhoff also must go before the infractions committee if they
want to return to college athletics, Newby for the next seven years and
Gangelhoff for the next five, according to the news release.
Attorneys for Haskins and Newby did not immediately return phone calls
Tuesday morning. A woman who answered the phone at Haskins' Kentucky ranch said
he did not want to comment.
Gangelhoff's attorney, Jim Lord, said she would
decide later Tuesday whether to comment. Lord said he had seen the NCAA report
but would not discuss the contents until it was officially released.
Minnesota officials highlighted the school's self-sanctions in April at a
hearing before the NCAA infractions committee, and pointed out that ties were
severed to most of the people closely linked to the scandal. That included
Haskins, who accepted a $1.5 million buyout to leave about five months after
the story broke.
The NCAA committee has weighed those facts against what has been called one
of the most serious cases of academic fraud in recent history.
Other high-profile penalties handed down in the past 10 or 15 years -- such
as sanctions against UNLV, Kansas and Kentucky -- dealt mostly with recruiting
violations. The Minnesota case is rare for the scope of the on-campus fraud.
Second-year coach Dan Monson compared waiting for the NCAA decision to being
like a child waiting for the spanking he'll get when his father gets home.
But the scandal has been more than frustrating for Monson and other
Minnesota officials. It has hurt recruiting.
Center Rick Rickert of Duluth, Minnesota's top high-school prospect and one
of the nation's top recruits, delayed announcing his college choice until
Wednesday. He was considering Minnesota and Arizona.
In March 1999, the day before the Gophers started play in the NCAA
tournament, the Pioneer Press reported that Gangelhoff admitted writing papers
for players.
The story prompted a nine-month, $2.2 million investigation by the
university. Federal prosecutors are still looking into the case.
Minnesota and the NCAA allege that Newby steered players to Gangelhoff and
that Haskins rewarded her. Investigators also say that Newby helped get grades
or classes changed to keep several players eligible and that Haskins told
players to lie after the story broke.
Haskins admitted -- after several denials -- that he paid Gangelhoff $3,000
cash to tutor a student after she was ordered to stay away from the team.
Minnesota is suing to retrieve the $1.5 million buyout given Haskins, claiming
he broke school and NCAA rules and violated his contract when he admitted
paying Gangelhoff.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
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