A former Southeastern Louisiana University head women’s volleyball coach violated the NCAA’s ethical conduct rules when he provided false information about the role of a former volunteer coach, according to a decision issued by a Division I Committee on Infractions panel. Additionally, the former head coach arranged and, in some cases, attended on-campus open gyms, off-campus adult gyms and camps in which impermissible athletic activity occurred. The university discovered the violations quickly, conducted an internal investigation and agreed with all the violations. This case follows a 2013 infractions case for the university, which was resolved through the summary disposition process.
Penalties in this case include a one-year extension of probation from its previous case to 2018, a $5,000 fine and a two-year show-cause order for the former head coach. During the show-cause, if the former head coach is employed as a head coach by another member school, he must be suspended from the first 30 percent of competition for one season and reduce evaluation days for two recruiting years. If he is employed as an assistant coach, the committee prescribed a lesser penalty. The university also reduced the amount of athletic activities during the 2013-14 season and reduced the recruiting of a prospect.
The former head coach invited a volunteer coach to join his staff, with the opportunity to become a full-time assistant coach. Upon joining the staff, the volunteer coach was treated as an assistant coach and engaged in coaching activities at the request of the former head coach. As soon as an individual participates in coaching a practice, game or organized activity, that person must count as a coach, and the former head coach did not count the volunteer coach. During his interview with NCAA enforcement staff, the former head coach stated that the volunteer coach did not have a role with the volleyball team during June and July 2013. However, the former head coach actually instructed the volunteer coach to perform coaching activities during that time period. Because the former head coach provided false information about the volunteer coach, the committee concluded that he violated the NCAA’s ethical conduct rules.
During the summer of 2013, the former head coach, volunteer coach and an assistant coach arranged, attended, monitored and instructed student-athletes in open gym sessions, adult gym sessions and during the university’s volleyball camp. NCAA rules do not allow any countable athletic activity outside the playing season during a vacation period or summer.
Additionally, the women’s volleyball staff had impermissible interactions with four prospects. The former head coach and the assistant coach observed a prospect playing volleyball on her unofficial visit, and in another prospect’s case, the volunteer coach provided one-on-one instruction to the prospect while attending the university’s summer camp, contrary to NCAA rules. The assistant coach also arranged for two prospects who were incoming freshman to stay with volleyball student-athletes at no cost so they could participate in the university’s summer camp.
The former head coach did not promote an atmosphere of compliance within his program when he arranged, participated in or directed the impermissible countable athletic activity and interactions with prospects.
Penalties and corrective actions self-imposed by the school and adopted by the panel include:
• A one-year extension of probation from the university’s 2013 infractions case. The probation period will now end on Dec. 9, 2018.
• A $5,000 fine.
• A two-year show-cause order from April 9, 2015. through April 8, 2017. for the former head coach. During the time, if he is employed at a member school as a head coach, he must have a limit of 19 evaluation days • during the recruiting calendar year and must be suspended from the first 30 percent of one regular season’s competitions. Additional information is contained in the public decision.
• A three-month reduction in recruiting one of the prospects who the participated in the impermissible tryout (self-imposed by the university).
• A reduction of countable athletic activity during the championship segment by four hours per week during the 2013-14 season (self-imposed by the university).
Southeastern Louisiana University public infractions decision
