Ten Florida State sports could see up to two seasons' worth of victories wiped out -- including up to 14 for football legend Bobby Bowden -- after an NCAA committee handed down new penalties Friday in the school's academic cheating scandal.
The Seminoles' 2007 NCAA men's track championship also could be vacated, though more time will be needed to determine when any of 61 ineligible athletes got onto the field or court.
FSU officials quickly sought clarification as to exactly when athletes must be considered ineligible and indicated that an appeal may follow.
''We just don't understand the sanction to vacate all wins in athletics contests in which ineligible student-athletes competed,'' FSU president T.K. Wetherell said in a statement.
``We did not allow anyone who we knew was ineligible to compete. Our position throughout the inquiry was that as soon as we knew of a problem, they didn't play.''
NCAA spokeswoman Stacey Osburn said the athletes became ineligible as soon as they received an improper benefit. FSU has 15 days in which to initiate an appeal.
Athletes admitted receiving answers to an online exam in a music history course and letting staffers type papers for them. The scandal spread over three semesters from fall 2006 to summer 2007.
The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions also ordered additional scholarship cuts in football and three other sports in a 24-page ruling that ended seven months of limbo.
FSU already had given up five football scholarships and five in other sports in self-imposed penalties submitted to the NCAA last September.
Even so, the committee recommended the additional sanctions for ''extremely serious'' violations, including unethical conduct and failure to monitor.
Bowden, 79, the Hall of Fame coach whose 382 career victories trails Penn State's Joe Paterno by one in the race for the major-college record, was not available for comment.
A university spokesperson said Bowden was leaving for a cruise he takes each year before spring practice opens.
Wins recorded between August 2006 and January 2008 fall under the review timeline. The ruling also involves men's and women's basketball, men's and women's track, men's and women's swimming, baseball, softball, and men's golf.
It may be some time, though, before the Seminoles know exactly how many victories will be lost in each sport. Vacated wins do not affect opponents' records.
''The institution will have to identify which student-athletes participated while ineligible,'' said Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference commissioner Dennis Thomas, acting chair of the infractions committee.
``Once the institution identifies the student-athletes who played during that period, then obviously a vacation of those records will be done.''
Under the NCAA's interpretation, seven football wins almost certainly would be wiped out. The Seminoles left 30 players home from the 2007 Music City Bowl, many undoubtedly tied to the scandal.
FSU also went 7-6 in 2006, and those also would be subject to review, even though the scandal was not revealed until the following summer.
That question -- as it affects all sports -- forms the crux of FSU's potential appeal.
''Some of our student-athletes engaged in academic misconduct -- and we will suffer the consequences -- but I believe vacating wins is just wrong,'' said athletic director Randy Spetman, who came to FSU as part of sweeping changes to the athletic department after the scandal broke.
Thomas said the committee did not consider how the punishment might affect Bowden and Paterno.
''The committee does not get into whether you have a famous athlete or a famous coach's record involved,'' Thomas said.
In harsh tones, the NCAA rebuked the university for both the scope of the academic fraud and the involvement of staff members.
''Academic fraud is among the most egregious of NCAA violations,'' the committee stated in its findings.
FSU learning specialist Dr. Brenda Monk and academic advisor Hillard Goldsmith were charged with committing NCAA violations. Neither works for the university.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/937096.html
The Seminoles' 2007 NCAA men's track championship also could be vacated, though more time will be needed to determine when any of 61 ineligible athletes got onto the field or court.
FSU officials quickly sought clarification as to exactly when athletes must be considered ineligible and indicated that an appeal may follow.
''We just don't understand the sanction to vacate all wins in athletics contests in which ineligible student-athletes competed,'' FSU president T.K. Wetherell said in a statement.
``We did not allow anyone who we knew was ineligible to compete. Our position throughout the inquiry was that as soon as we knew of a problem, they didn't play.''
NCAA spokeswoman Stacey Osburn said the athletes became ineligible as soon as they received an improper benefit. FSU has 15 days in which to initiate an appeal.
Athletes admitted receiving answers to an online exam in a music history course and letting staffers type papers for them. The scandal spread over three semesters from fall 2006 to summer 2007.
The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions also ordered additional scholarship cuts in football and three other sports in a 24-page ruling that ended seven months of limbo.
FSU already had given up five football scholarships and five in other sports in self-imposed penalties submitted to the NCAA last September.
Even so, the committee recommended the additional sanctions for ''extremely serious'' violations, including unethical conduct and failure to monitor.
Bowden, 79, the Hall of Fame coach whose 382 career victories trails Penn State's Joe Paterno by one in the race for the major-college record, was not available for comment.
A university spokesperson said Bowden was leaving for a cruise he takes each year before spring practice opens.
Wins recorded between August 2006 and January 2008 fall under the review timeline. The ruling also involves men's and women's basketball, men's and women's track, men's and women's swimming, baseball, softball, and men's golf.
It may be some time, though, before the Seminoles know exactly how many victories will be lost in each sport. Vacated wins do not affect opponents' records.
''The institution will have to identify which student-athletes participated while ineligible,'' said Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference commissioner Dennis Thomas, acting chair of the infractions committee.
``Once the institution identifies the student-athletes who played during that period, then obviously a vacation of those records will be done.''
Under the NCAA's interpretation, seven football wins almost certainly would be wiped out. The Seminoles left 30 players home from the 2007 Music City Bowl, many undoubtedly tied to the scandal.
FSU also went 7-6 in 2006, and those also would be subject to review, even though the scandal was not revealed until the following summer.
That question -- as it affects all sports -- forms the crux of FSU's potential appeal.
''Some of our student-athletes engaged in academic misconduct -- and we will suffer the consequences -- but I believe vacating wins is just wrong,'' said athletic director Randy Spetman, who came to FSU as part of sweeping changes to the athletic department after the scandal broke.
Thomas said the committee did not consider how the punishment might affect Bowden and Paterno.
''The committee does not get into whether you have a famous athlete or a famous coach's record involved,'' Thomas said.
In harsh tones, the NCAA rebuked the university for both the scope of the academic fraud and the involvement of staff members.
''Academic fraud is among the most egregious of NCAA violations,'' the committee stated in its findings.
FSU learning specialist Dr. Brenda Monk and academic advisor Hillard Goldsmith were charged with committing NCAA violations. Neither works for the university.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/937096.html
