MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University’s athletics was placed on two years NCAA probation Wednesday, the result of coaches in 14 sports sending “impermissible texts and placing impermissible calls to prospects and parents.” The NCAA reported the infractions primarily involved women’s gymnastics, football, women’s basketball and women’s soccer.
By agreeing to a summary disposition in the case, West Virginia cannot appeal the penalties, which include a reduction in off-campus recruiting in football and men’s basketball. The school announced it had self-imposed one reduced football scholarship for the 2013-14 academic year.
The violations occurred between June 2010 and February 2013, a period during which West Virginia was on probation from a previous infractions case involving major rules violations within the football program.
Oliver Luck, WVU’s athletics director during that span, resigned in December to become the NCAA’s executive vice president of regulatory affairs.
New AD Shane Lyons issued a response Wednesday:
“While I am disappointed with today’s NCAA report, I do take note that our department found the infractions, self-reported them and worked with the NCAA in full cooperation to address and correct the issues. I am confident that the department has taken the necessary steps to correct its compliance and recruiting software program, re-educate the staff on updated NCAA changes on the rules surrounding text messages and phone calls and fulfilled our obligations to the NCAA concerning the situation long before I started as athletic director back on Feb. 2.
“I was aware of this issue when I interviewed for the job, and it did not deter my confidence at all in West Virginia University. We are and always will be committed to the legislation policies of the NCAA. Moving forward, I expect our department to continue its strong dedication to NCAA compliance.”
Various coaches involved in the violations claimed they misunderstood recruiting communication rules, the NCAA reported. The athletics department “did not fully understand how to use compliance software it purchased to monitor phone and text activity,” and it wasn’t until the software company updated the software that the school learned of the violations, according to the NCAA’s findings.
The school claimed the violations concerned 66 telephone calls and 294 text messages.
Penalties handed down by the NCAA:
- Two years of probation from Feb. 18, 2015 through Feb. 17, 2017.
- A one-year show-cause order for a gymnastics assistant coach from Feb. 18, 2015 through Feb. 17, 2016. During this time, the assistant coach may not recruit during the 30 days before the 2015 spring NLI signing date. He must also attend an NCAA regional rules seminar. Finally, the panel acknowledged and adopted the school’s suspension of one competition for the assistant coach.
Penalties self-imposed by West Virginia and adopted by the infractions panel:
- Reduction of telephone communication in all 14 involved sports during portions of the 2013-14 and 2014-15 academic years.
- Reduction of off-campus recruiting in football, women’s soccer, women’s basketball and men’s basketball.
- Restrictions to official visits for the women’s soccer program.
- Reduction of one football scholarship for the 2013-14 academic year.