ODAC Won’t Make Guilford Forfeit BC Win (Daily News-Record)
Daily News-Record - by Jeremy Cothran
BRIDGEWATER — Guilford College used an ineligible player in its victory over Bridgewater on Oct. 14, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference said Monday, but Eagles fans shouldn’t get too excited: ODAC Commissioner Brad Bankston said the league has decided not to penalize the Quakers, meaning they won’t have to forfeit any wins unless the NCAA decides otherwise.
Had BC been awarded the victory, the Eagles would have been back in the championship race.
"The [ODAC] committee reviewed all the materials," Bankston said from Salem. "We will take no action against Guilford. We are proceeding with a secondary violation process and we’ll submit papers with Guilford to a representative with the NCAA."
An NCAA decision, however, is not expected to be handed down until after the regular season ends.
Last week, Emory & Henry football coach Don Montgomery said, he informed the ODAC that the Quakers were using a transfer, cornerback Dion Rich, who had been declared academically ineligible after the 2005 season at E&H.
Montgomery said Rich flunked out of Emory & Henry in the middle of October, and then enrolled at Guilford this fall. Bankston said because Rich was ineligible when he left E&H, he also was ineligible when he enrolled at Guilford.
The league decided against disciplining Guilford, Bankston said, because it determined that the Greensboro, N.C., school did not know Rich was ineligible. But, he said, the ODAC plans to report the incident to the NCAA’s enforcement committee, which could opt to punish the Quakers.
That process, however, would probably take about a month – which would be too late for Bridgewater to be considered for the NCAA Division III playoffs.
Fifth-place Bridgewater (6-2 overall, 2-2 in the league) lost to Guilford 33-28, the first of two consecutive defeats that likely cost the five-time defending champion a realistic shot at the ODAC title. Rich had six tackles in the Quakers’ win.
"I had a pep talk with my players and I told them that you learn lessons," Clark said. "We talk all the time, and you can’t count on committees. It’s all about managing your business. We didn’t, so it doesn’t matter who was on the field. That’s kind of where it stands."
Bankston said the ODAC considered three options: 1) forfeiture for all the games Rich participated in this fall, 2) vacating the games – meaning they would be stricken from Guilford’s record but would not affect the records of any teams the Quakers played, and 3) doing nothing.
In the end, the ODAC decided Guilford was not at fault for Rich’s enrollment and participation in football games.
Clark said his players were disappointed when he informed them that the Quakers would not be forced to forfeit.
"That was another pin I put in their balloons," he said.
Montgomery said he agreed with the league’s ruling, but he said coaches need to be more aware of the eligibility issues concerning incoming players.
"It’s the first time in my 30 years of coaching that I’ve seen something like this," Montgomery said, referring to Rich’s ability to re-enroll at a competitor’s school after flunking. "I think it’s all of our responsibilities. You have got to be eligible from the school that you’re leaving from. Got to find out."
Montgomery said he learned of Rich’s participation in games this year while viewing tape in preparation for the Wasps’ game against Bridgewater on Oct. 21. Rich, a sophomore from Martinsville, played in four games this season for the Quakers.
"Somebody on our staff pointed it out," Montgomery said. "I saw his name when he made a tackle on [Eagles tailback] Winston Young. He’s on their roster. That’s against NCAA and ODAC rules. If you’re going to have rules, then people have to abide by them."
Emory & Henry plays Guilford on Nov. 11.
Guilford officials could not be reached for comment.
posted by kid @ 8:21 AM
17 comments
17 Comments:
I find this hard to believe, Guilford was not aware of this. Did he not go in as a transfer student? Did they not have his transcript?
Guilford is saying that he lied to everyone, never mentioning he attended Emory & Henry in the first place.
My question is how Guilford's admissions office didn't catch it. They are members of the National Student Clearinghouse, which would have shown he attended (and flunked out) of another school.
Hmm...
I agree with you Kid. The admissions office should have caught this.
This is unacceptable to not find fault. Forget the fact that Guilford is the school. The proper thing to do is to vacate the games. This happens at the high school level and the punishment is not an optional ruling. It must be carried out.
I have sent a message to Mr. Bankston that we should always look for opportunities to re-enforce Integrity.
This just shows what athuority Bankston really has in the ODAC, his decision was poor,we played bad against Guilford but all that aside they cheated and our ODAC official's should have made some kind of penalty. I'm sure if it was a BC Football conspiricy there would have been a punishment.
This is the statement Brad Bankston (ODAC Commissioner) gave Pat Coleman (Editor and Publisher of D3football.com) about the incident:
"The Guilford situation was thoroughly investigated by the league with Guilford's full cooperation. We consulted with the NCAA enforcement services and reviewed the case. Based on the facts the conference will impose no penalties on Guilford's program and is working with GC to report the incident to the NCAA as a secondary violation. After review of all the materials submitted the conference believes no one at Guilford had knowledge of the student-athlete's previous participation and/or prior enrollment. In addition, based on the circumstances the school had no materials that would have led them to believe the student had triggered transfer status. Thus, the final conclusion by the executive committee and presidents' executive council."
With this statement, how many other ineligible players do they have? "Based on the circumstances the school had no materials that would have led them to believe the student had triggered transfer status." If this was Bridgewater, I think things would have been looked at differently. What is this teaching the students, it is ok to cheat. Something needs to be done. Our Bridgewater players are still CHAMPS.
Mr Bankston replied to me and felt that "integrity" was looked at with respect to the ODAC ruling. I conveyed that the ruling and message must be confusing to the athletes, and he didnt think so.
An athlete shows up on your doorstep, and you didnt recruit him. He turns out to be ineligible and there is NO Consequence. Ignorance in this case - is bliss.
I am proud that Coach Clark has chosen to take the high road with his public comments. We all recall the now infamous Rowen game and the 2 second discussion. The then Rowan coach called us names publically until he left that school for Delaware.
Whatever problems the ODAC may or may not have I hope will be reviewed thoughtfully by the NCAA. True it may not help the Eagles with another win but Coach said it right in that we have to take care of business on the field and what happens with others doesn't matter.
Also hope this causes every school to review admissions policies.
Know that all Eagle fans will want to join JMU in welcoming Delaware to town this weekend. GO DUKES!
Thankful to have a great coaching staff at BC and a great team. GO EAGLES!
Copy of message I sent to Bankston this morning (no reply yet):
With respect, I wanted to express that I am extremely disappointed with the ODAC's lack of action in the Guilford ineligible player situation. I'm concerned about the message being sent as well as precedent being set. What the ODAC is saying, in effect, is that it's o.k. to cheat as long as it can't be proven that you cheated on purpose.
There have been many opinions expressed and many assumptions made as to how much Guilford could have or should have known. I have my opinion. But regardless of any speculation there is one key fact that cannot be argued: Guilford substantially used an ineligible football player in games that it won. Further, this player was a key participant (starter) and therefore directly impacted the outcome of those games.
Again, I am disappointed in the ruling (or lack there of). I think it sets a poor precedent and example for a conference composed of colleges and universities known for their character and high standards. It is my hope that the NCAA acknowledges what in my mind should be a black and white transgression, and acts accordingly.
Respectfully,
Adam Mizer
Bridgewater College 1997
The NCAA rules seem to be clear that Guilford needs to forfeit. It is that simple.
Seeing as this isn't the first true national controversy that the ODAC has had to deal with in the past 10 years I feel like they missed a major opportunity to make a statement. This is a true joke on the part of the ODAC . Also, where is the Guilford President? Where is his/her statement? Where is his/her actions? I truly hope the potential to make the playoffs or the success of the Quakers season isn't keeping someone from standing up and doing the right thing.
Copy of message I sent to ODAC Commissioner last night. No reply as of yet
"I have been honest and have not observed any dishonesty" - Quoted from the Guilford College Honor Code
OUR PURPOSE: ....... member institutions strive to foster a climate of excellence and integrity in the conduct of their athletic programs. - Exerpted from the ODAC Purpose Statement
........expecting competitive integrity among players, coaches, support staff and spectators - Exerpted from the ODAC Values statement
I was surprised and disheartened to see the administration of the ODAC conference take the "easy way out" in the handling of the ineligible player situation at Guilford College. I had always thought that Divison III sports represented the epitome of the student athlete. But with the decision of the ODAC conference it looks like we are going to accept a lower standard for the athletics department at an institution than we accept for the academic arm. This kind of action would be expected at the Division I level but comes as a complete surprise at the Division III level. It is unfortunate that schools that play by the rules and verify the eligibility of their athletes must watch while the conference elects to let a major violation "slide".
Your decision goes counter to your purpose statement as well as your values statement. These statements talk a nice game of integrity, excellence and conduct but I suppose they are just hollow words.
Division III Football Fan
The Roanoke Times (Roanoke, Va.) ran the following article on November 3:
Guilford hopes to avoid forfeits
Dion Rich played for Guilford after leaving Emory & Henry with failing grades.
by Mark Berman
Guilford College is preparing to ask the NCAA if it can keep three football victories it earned while using an ineligible player, Bassett graduate Dion Rich.
One of the wins was Guilford's ODAC victory last month over Bridgewater. If the NCAA gives Bridgewater a forfeit win or simply strips Guilford of the victory, it could change the outcome of the ODAC title chase if it comes down to a tiebreaker scenario.
Rich played in three games for Emory & Henry as a freshman last fall before leaving school with failing grades, Guilford athletic director Marion Kirby said Thursday. Rich is ineligible under NCAA Division III transfer rules to play this season because he was academically ineligible at his old school, said ODAC commissioner Brad Bankston.
Guilford sports information director David Walters said the cornerback played in four games for Guilford (5-3, 2-2) this year, including nonconference wins over Ferrum and Greensboro and an ODAC loss to Hampden-Sydney. He had 13 tackles this season, and started against Greensboro and Bridgewater.
Bankston said E&H coaches saw Rich playing for the Quakers while watching game film and reported the matter to him two weeks ago.
Kirby said Rich never disclosed on his Guilford application that he had attended Emory & Henry.
"We have no record of the young man ever attending another school," Kirby said. "No one at our school was aware that he had attended Emory & Henry.
"We feel just as violated in many ways as anybody."
Kirby said Rich has been kicked out of school for violating the college's honor code by lying on his application. The Oct. 14 win over Bridgewater was his final game.
A six-person ODAC committee of presidents and athletic directors ruled last week that Guilford could keep the win over Bridgewater. An NCAA official advised the committee on what has happened in similar situations.
"In many cases, when a school did not have knowledge [of the player's status], forfeits were not imposed," Bankston said.
But the NCAA could overrule the league. Kirby said he is nearly finished with his letter to the NCAA. If the NCAA decides to punish Guilford, it could give wins to Bridgewater (6-2, 2-2), Ferrum (2-5) and Greensboro or leave those records the same but strip Guilford of the wins.
The ODAC had the same options with the Bridgewater game; it didn't discuss the non-league games.
Even if the NCAA chooses one of those options, it still might not have any bearing on which team earns the league's automatic Division III playoff bid. Washington and Lee can claim the bid by beating Emory & Henry on Saturday. Emory & Henry can clinch the bid by winning Saturday and by beating Guilford on Nov. 11.
Rich could not be reached for comment.
The News-Record (Greensboro, N.C.) also ran a story on it:
An ineligible player causes Guilford grief
by Mark Berman (Landmark News Service)
Guilford College is preparing to ask the NCAA if it can keep three football victories in which it used an ineligible player.
Dion Rich played in three games at Emory & Henry as a freshman last fall before leaving school with failing grades, Guilford athletics director Marion Kirby said Thursday. Rich is ineligible under NCAA Division III transfer rules to play this season because he was academically ineligible at his former school, said Old Dominion Athletic Conference commissioner Brad Bankston.
Dave Walters, Guilford's sports information director, said Rich played in four games for Guilford (2-2, 5-3) this year, including nonconference victories over Ferrum and Greensboro College and an ODAC loss to Hampden-Sydney. Rich, a cornerback, made 13 tackles this season and started against Greensboro and Bridgewater.
Bankston said Emory & Henry coaches saw Rich playing for the Quakers while watching game film and reported the violation to him two weeks ago.
Kirby said Rich never disclosed on his Guilford application that he had attended Emory & Henry.
"We have no record of the young man ever attending another school," Kirby said. "No one at our school was aware that he had attended Emory & Henry.
"We feel just as violated in many ways as anybody."
Kirby said Rich had been dismissed from Guilford for violating the college's honor code by lying on his application. The Quakers' Oct. 14 victory over Bridgewater was his final game.
A six-person ODAC committee of presidents and athletics directors ruled last week that Guilford could keep the victory over Bridgewater. An NCAA official advised the committee on what has happened in similar situations.
"In many cases, when a school did not have knowledge (of the player's status), forfeits were not imposed," Bankston said.
But the NCAA could overrule the league. Kirby is almost finished with his letter to the NCAA, he said. If the NCAA decides to punish Guilford, it could give Bridgewater (2-2 ODAC, 6-2 overall), Ferrum (2-5 overall) and Greensboro (2-6 overall) forfeit victories, or leave those records the same but strip Guilford of the victories.
The News-Record (Greensboro, N.C.) ran this story today:
NCAA allows Guilford football team to keep three victories
GREENSBORO -- The NCAA will not change the outcome of three Guilford College football victories this season in which the Quakers used an ineligible player, school officials said Wednesday.
The NCAA notified Guilford Athletics Director Marion Kirby and ODAC Commissioner Brad Bankston of the ruling in a letter dated Nov. 3.
Guilford (3-2 ODAC, 6-3 overall) plays its regular-season finale Saturday at Emory & Henry.
Bankston alerted Guilford officials in October that there were questions about the eligibility of a Quakers football player. The Roanoke (Va.) Times identified the player as defensive back Dion Rich of Bassett, Va., who played in victories over Ferrum, Greensboro College and Bridgewater.
The player reportedly transferred to Guilford without notifying Quakers officials he had attended and played for Emory & Henry in 2005 and was academically ineligible when he left the Virginia school. After conducting its own investigation, Guilford determined he was not eligible and informed the league and NCAA of the infraction. After reviewing Guilford's report, the ODAC and the NCAA decided not to penalize the school.
"It was determined that the case should be classified as secondary and that no further action should be taken by the NCAA in the matter," wrote Christopher S. Strobel, NCAA Director of Enforcement for Secondary Infractions. "... all of the evidence discovered in this case indicated that Guilford did not know, and should not have known, of (the student-athlete's) previous attendance at another institution."
The NCAA could have awarded forfeit victories to Greensboro and the other two teams affected, or it could have left their records intact but stripped Guilford of the wins.
The ruling gives the ODAC title and the league's automatic NCAA Division III playoff berth to Washington & Lee (5-1, 7-2). If the NCAA had awarded Bridgewater (3-2, 7-2) a forfeit, the Eagles could have tied for the title and would have received the NCAA bid because they defeated W&L.
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