Wyoming Reports Possible Violations in Volleyball Program
Results of an internal University of Wyoming inquiry into allegations that women’s volleyball student-athletes received impermissible benefits have been submitted to the NCAA.
UW Athletics Director Tom Burman says the self-report involves five former members of the women’s volleyball team and their receipt of impermissible benefits during a two-year period. The total value of the impermissible benefits to all five of those student-athletes during that period is about $1,500, according to the report submitted to the NCAA. UW intends to release the self-report to the public at the conclusion of the NCAA inquiry.
“We discovered potential issues concerning members of our coaching staff providing impermissible benefits to our volleyball student-athletes in September (2012). We immediately notified the NCAA and conducted our own inquiry,” Burman says. “After what we feel was a thorough investigation by the university legal staff and outside counsel, we have communicated our findings to the NCAA.”
According to the report, the potential impermissible benefits included used household items and furnishings, and assistance in securing an apartment. In addition, the report found that the student manager for the volleyball program allegedly participated as a practice player during the 2011-12 season.
“We have been working with the NCAA since these issues came to light and continue to work with the national office staff. We have always and will always expect members of our athletics department to abide by the rules of the NCAA,” Burman says. “Those expectations will not be compromised.”
With the addition of another full-time compliance staff member in the Athletics Department, rules education from the Compliance Office has increased during the past year, including increasing training about NCAA rules to coaches and student-athletes, and regular reminders about compliance issues.