NCAA imposes sanctions on SEMO due to actions of former assistant coach
The NCAA imposed sanctions on the Southeast Missouri State University women’s basketball program due to recruiting violations primarily committed by a former assistant women’s basketball coach during the 2013-14 academic year. They occurred under the tenure of head coach Ty Margenthaler who resigned in March 2015.
The NCAA’s initial report also cited an infraction unknowingly committed by Margenthaler. He was suspended two games and also had five days of pay docked for ignoring SEMO’s requests not to discuss the NCAA investigation with his staff.
A summary of the violations according to SEMO:
(1) A former assistant coach had multiple impermissible in-person, off-campus contacts and communications with two prospective women’s basketball student-athletes, who were twin sisters, and their family.
(2) The former assistant coach also provided the recruits and their family with at least $178 in school apparel and accessories at no cost.
(3) Further, the former assistant coach provided one of the recruits impermissible transportation and a meal.
The list of NCAA penalties and corrective measures include:
- Public reprimand and censure for the university.
- One year of probation for the university from Feb. 12, 2016, through Feb. 11, 2017.
- A two-year show-cause order for the former assistant coach from Feb. 12, 2016, through Feb. 11, 2018. If he seeks employment at an NCAA member school, he must be restricted from all recruiting activity.
- A reduction in the number of days the women’s basketball coaches were allowed to recruit from 112 days to 74 in 2014-15. (Self-imposed by the university.)
- A reduction in the number of days the women’s basketball coaches can recruit from 112 days to 91 in 2015-16.
- A limit of eight official visits during 2015-16.
- A $5,000 fine.
“We are disappointed the violations occurred, but acknowledge the mistakes made by a former coaching staff member and accept the penalties that have been prescribed,” said Southeast interim director of athletics Brady Barke. “Our current women’s basketball staff was not involved in these violations and we will continue to fully support them while maintaining our commitment to the highest levels of integrity.”
This case was resolved through a process handled by the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions. Committee members are drawn from NCAA membership and the public.
The members of the panel who reviewed this case are Greg Christopher, athletics director at Xavier University; Joel Maturi, former University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, athletics director; Eleanor W. Myers, law professor at Temple University; Joe Novak, former head football coach at Northern Illinois University; Jill Pilgrim, attorney in private practice; David Roberts, vice president for athletics compliance at the University of Southern California; and Greg Sankey, chief hearing officer, chair of the Committee on Infractions and commissioner of the Southeastern Conference.
