Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 5, 1990 TAG: 9003052331
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: COLLEGE PARK, MD. LENGTH: Medium
The university must also return $407,378 of its earnings from the 1988 NCAA tournament in which the Terrapins advanced to the second round, the NCAA said in a statement.
The penalties are less than the minimum prescribed for such violations but the NCAA Committee on Infractions deemed Maryland's case unique, saying the school had conducted a thorough investigation of the program, cooperated fully with investigators, recommended substantial penalties at a hearing, and fired members of the basketball staff who had violated the rules.
Maryland remains eligible for post-season play this year.
No limits were placed on recruiting visits, and the number of scholarships for the next two years will be limited to 13, a penalty recommended by the university itself. The NCAA could have severely restricted recruiting and eliminated scholarships for several years.
The NCAA cited Maryland's "failure to meet the principles of institutional control and rules compliance, which are among the fundamental principles of the association and its members."
Maryland has 15 days to appeal any penalties to the NCAA Council, which meets in mid-April.
The announcement came two days after Maryland finished its first regular season under coach Gary Williams with an 18-12 record. The Terrapins, who are scheduled to compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament Friday in Charlotte, N.C., appeared to be on solid footing for at least an at-large berth in the NCAA championship tournament.
The sanctions penalize Maryland for the 18 rules violations that include inducing recruits with free clothing, providing a car for a student-athlete, and selling complimentary ACC tournament tickets. All of the violations occured during the three-year tenure of coach Bob Wade and were uncovered by an NCAA investigation that began last February.
Wade was forced to resign last May. The school bought out the final two years of Wade's five-year contract.
Not accounted for in the penalties was a violation committed by Williams, who watched two informal workouts prior to an Oct. 15 deadline. Williams' violation was reported to the NCAA by athletic director Lew Perkins on Jan. 31.
Maryland officials had hoped the the school's umblemished record in major infractions cases before these incidents and its cooperation with the investigation would prod the governing body to impose more lenient penalties.
A university delegation including President William Kirwan and Perkins proposed sanctions during the school's hearing with the NCAA Infractions Committee on Feb. 2 in San Diego. Maryland officials reportedly offered to withhold the Terps from postseason play this season as well as return the school's profits from the Terps' 1988 NCAA tournament appearance.
After the NCAA informed Maryland of its findings in an official letter of inquiry in October, the university admitted its guilt to all of the allegations in its official reply to the charges, sent in December.
What course of action the NCAA will take against Wade and members of his staff remains to be seen.
The most serious violations committed by Wade were providing a leased car, making cash payments of $272 and giving rides to former Terrapins guard Rudy Archer, who played the 1987-88 season at Maryland; and giving free or almost-free clothing to Alonzo Mourning and Brian Williams while they were being recruited.
Mourning plays at Georgetown and Williams transferred to Arizona after playing his freshman season at Maryland.
Wade was also found guilty of providing false and misleading information to investigators.
Assistant coach Jeff Adkins was found guilty of selling complimentary tickets for players to the 1988 ACC tournament.
The NCAA is unable to penalize Wade directly, but should he be hired in a coaching position at another NCAA-member institution, that school would have to show cause why it should not be penalized.
Wade has been reported as a leading candidate to become the basketball coach at Morgan State University, his alma mater.
by CNB