By Steven J. Gaither
Wide-spread certification issues dating back nearly a decade have the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff in big trouble with the NCAA. The NCAA released its infraction report on Tuesday, stemming from certification issues that were originally discovered in 2011.
#UAPB also faces scholarship reductions and a postseason ban for 2014-2015 in football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball and baseball.
– Troy Schulte (@TroySchulteADG) November 5, 2014
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js A six-person panel has recommended that UAPB be put on probation for five years, and receive a one-year ban in four sports: football, men’s and women’s basketball and baseball.
The 25 page report covers issues from 2007-2012 when 124 athletes participate or practiced in athletics while ineligible. If UAPB doesn’t appeal, it will vacate all wins during that period.
Specifically, over five academic years, the institution erroneously certified 124 student-athletes for competition when it failed to apply NCAA Bylaw 14 progress-toward-degree, degree credit hours, nonqualifier status and two-year transfer requirements. As a result, the institution permitted ineligible student-athletes to practice and compete. A majority of those student-athletes received impermissible travel expenses. In addition to failing to apply NCAA Bylaw 14 requirements, the institution permitted nine student-athletes to practice, compete and receive travel expenses prior to the NCAA Eligibility Center certifying their amateur status.
The violations could also strip UAPB of its 2010 men’s basketball title.
The school has 10 days to decide whether or not it will appeal. UAPB won an earlier appeal of a ruling that would have had all sports receive a two-year postseason ban.