The former St. Scholastica men's ice hockey head coach committed NCAA violations when he provided impermissible benefits consisting of loans for off-campus housing accommodations and a meal to multiple student-athletes. The former head coach also engaged in impermissible out-of-season activity by attending voluntary athletic activities and discussing hockey strategy in out-of-season meetings. The Division III Committee on Infractions determined that these were major violations and further support the agreed-upon head coach responsibility violation.
Impermissible benefits violation
Regarding the impermissible benefits violation, the former head coach provided housing assistance to three international student-athletes. The international student-athletes needed temporary housing arrangements until they could secure permanent accommodations. Several team captains offered to let the international student-athletes live with them, free of charge. To show his appreciation, the former head coach provided the captains with an impermissible free meal.
Once the international student-athletes were able to find permanent off-campus housing, the former head coach gave them a $1,000 loan to cover the security deposit via a mobile payment service. The former head coach knew he was committing a violation and, therefore, titled the payment as "skates" and funneled the payment to a different student-athlete in an effort to conceal this transaction. The student-athletes repaid the loan the following day.
Impermissible out-of-season violation
For the purposes of protecting student-athlete well-being and time demands, rules exist that prohibit coaches from attending out-of-season voluntary athletically related activities. However, on multiple occasions, the former head coach violated these rules by being present in the hockey arena when student-athletes participated in "open skates" sessions. Although he was often doing other things, the student-athletes reported that they knew he was there, and he occasionally engaged in coaching. During this out-of-season period, he also held individual meetings with student-athletes where, on limited occasion, he discussed hockey schemes and game strategy.
Head coach responsibility violation
St. Scholastica, the former head coach and NCAA enforcement staff agreed that the former head coach's personal involvement in the violations fell short of the standards required under head coach responsibility rules. Despite having knowledge of the violations, he failed to report these matters to the school. Although this was his first time as a head coach, and the school acknowledged the lack of oversight in providing adequate compliance education and training, he never sought guidance when faced with these circumstances. Further, despite the lack of education and training, he violated well-known rules related to benefits and out-of-season activities and tried to conceal his conduct. Therefore, the former head coach could not demonstrate that he promoted an atmosphere for compliance.
Penalties
This case was resolved through the cooperative summary disposition process, in which all involved parties agree to the facts and violations set forth. St. Scholastica and the former head coach accepted the penalties, and neither party may appeal.
The committee prescribed the following penalties and corrective measures:
- Two years of probation.
- A $2,500 fine.
- A one-year show-cause order for the former head coach. During that period, any NCAA member school employing him must require him to attend the 2022 NCAA Regional Rules Seminar at his own expense.
- The school must undergo an outside audit of its athletics policies and procedures, with emphasis on policies relating to international student-athlete matriculation.
St. Scholastica self-imposed the following penalties:
- Suspended the former head coach for three games during the 2020-21 season.
- Suspended the former head coach from eight practices during the remaining segment of the 2020-21 academic year and before the end of the regular season.
- Prohibited the former head coach from being present in the arena during open ice sessions.
Members of the Committee on Infractions are drawn from NCAA member schools and conferences and members of the public. The committee members who reviewed this case are Sarah Feyerherm, vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Washington College and chair for the committee; Richard Lapidus, president of Fitchburg State; Donna Ledwin, commissioner of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference; Jody Mooradian, athletics director at Salve Regina; and Angela Givens Williams, chief of the civil division in the U.S. attorney's office for the Southern District of Mississippi.
