http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/news;_ylt ... &type=lgns
NCAA penalizes Fresno State, former coach for recruiting violations
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) -- Fresno State's basketball program was placed on four years' probation by the NCAA on Wednesday for recruiting violations and former coach Ray Lopes was also punished for the infractions.
Lopes, who resigned in March 2005, and other members of his staff made hundreds of phone calls to recruits, far exceeding the number allowed, according to the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions.
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He was given a three-year "show cause" penalty, which means he may not seek employment with another NCAA school without first appearing before the committee to determine if his duties should be limited.
Fresno State, which had banned itself from postseason play in 2005-06 over the violations, was cited for lack of institutional control for not better monitoring the phone calls. The NCAA gave no additional punishments to the school other than extending the probation period for three years.
Marsh called the decision by president John Welty to ban the school from postseason play and place limits on recruiting "meaningful and important."
The committee found that 457 impermissible calls were made to recruits between April 2002 and October 2004, according to a report released Wednesday. Lopes and his staff not only exceeded the one call allowed per week, they also called some recruits before the date when contact could begin, the report said.
Gene Marsh, chairman of the NCAA infractions committee, said the committee considered stiffer penalties because of the university's history of rules violations, but settled on probation through 2010 because of the sanctions it self-imposed last November and its cooperation in the investigation.
Fresno State already was on probation for infractions under previous coach Jerry Tarkanian's tenure. In 2002 and 2003, officials appeared before the committee for violations including academic fraud and payments from agents to players.
Because of its infractions record, the basketball program was eligible to be temporarily shut down -- the NCAA's most extreme sanctions -- but Marsh said the committee decided against the "death penalty" option because it believed the school had no reason to suspect Lopes would commit the violations.
Athletic director Thomas Boeh issued a statement saying the "adjudication of this case by the NCAA was fair."
Steve Cleveland took over as head coach after Lopes resigned.
Lopes told officials he wasn't aware he was violating rules by making the calls, but there was no evidence supporting that claim, according to the report.
Lopes could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
NCAA penalizes Fresno State
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