Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 17, 1993 TAG: 9309170017
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The infractions committee will determine Tech's punishment, which should be decided in four to six weeks, Tech assistant athletic director Steve Horton said.
"We're hoping for just probation," Horton said. "It could involve probation and some loss of scholarships."
In its report sent to the NCAA in August 1992, Tech blamed Scully for intentionally breaking NCAA rules governing ethical conduct, recruiting contacts and extra benefits, mostly during a period from 1988-90. The report argues that the violations were "secondary" - isolated in one program under one coach and having limited or no competitive or recruiting advantage.
The report acknowledged that because Tech's men's basketball and football programs were on probation from 1987-89, the school could be subject to "the repeat major sanctions of the NCAA." A secondary violation would not bring such a repeat-offender penalty.
Scully, fired in May 1991, has denied knowingly breaking NCAA rules. In July, Scully won an appeal to Tech's faculty senate, which ruled that he had been fired without due process after he was the subject of a sexual-harassment complaint. The investigation that turned up the NCAA violations began after Scully had been fired.
Horton said the school is hoping for leniency from the NCAA because it reported the violations and took steps to correct the problems and ensure they don't happen again.
Traveling with Horton to Denver were: Dave Braine, Tech's athletic director; Minnis Ridenour, Tech's executive vice president; Jerry Cain, the school's lawyer; and Larry Killough, the athletic faculty representative. Dale Smith, a Metro Conference assistant commissioner, will be there to assist the Tech delegation.
by CNB