The infractions included a lack of institutional control and began in the 2003-04 academic year and continued through 2007-08.
According to the committee, St. Augustine allowed 29 student athletes to practice or compete while ineligible to do so. Of the 29 athletes, 15 participated in football.
Penalties for the violations include three years of probation; a vacation of wins; a $2,500 financial penalty; and a reduction in scholarships for football, men's basketball, softball, volleyball, men's tennis, men's track and women's track.
According to a press issued by the school, "Some of the ineligible athletes in this case received impermissible benefits in the form of athletic scholarships and travel expenses."
The eligibility problems were noted in football. The football program was reinstated in 2002 after being discontinued in 1967.
Many of the violations noted, include errors in completing various forms used to track eligibility. The Committee on Infractions found because the individuals charged with tracking eligibility were not adequately educated regarding NCAA eligibility rules, mistakes were made and the ineligible student-athletes were allowed to compete.
The committee adopted and imposed the following:
- Three years of probation beginning October 3, 2008, and concluding on October 2, 2011.
- Vacation of all wins in which ineligible student-athletes participated, both in the regular season and all post season completion, including conference and NCAA championships. The individual records of these student-athletes shall be vacated as well. Further, the college shall reconfigure the records of the head coaches in the affected sports to reflect the vacated wins. The vacated records shall be recorded in all publications in which athletic records are referenced, including, but not limited to, media guides, recruiting material, web sites and institution and NCAA archives. The institution must notify all opponents in writing of the competition results that have been vacated. Finally, any public reference to these vacated contests won during this time shall be removed, including but not limited to athletics department stationary, banners displayed in public areas and any other forum in which they may appear.
- Reduction in scholarships for the sports of football, men's basketball, softball, volleyball, men's tennis, men's track and women's track for the academic years 2009-10 and 2010-11. The total athletically-related financial aid in these sports cannot total more than 90 percent of the amounts awarded in these sports during the 2007-07 and 2007-08 academic years.
- The institution must initiate an external review of its campus compliance system by a competent reviewer as soon as one can be scheduled. The background and qualifications of the reviewer must be provided to the committee and the institution must comply in a timely fashion with all recommendations made by the reviewer.
- The college shall pay a financial penalty of $2,500 to the NCAA.
