3 student athletes suspended

Three university basketball players will be suspended for eight games of the upcoming regular season after receiving extra benefits at a discount shoe store.

No other student-athletes from winter or spring sports received game suspensions. In addition, the university says 37 other student-athletes from eight sports committed NCAA violations for receiving extra benefits.

The 40 affected winter and spring sport student-athletes were categorized according to the total amount of their extra benefit.

“We are pleased that the student-athlete eligibility issues are resolved,” says Pat Richter, director of athletics. “The student-athletes have been very cooperative and mature during the entire fact-gathering process.”

Men’s basketball players Maurice Linton and Travon Davis and women’s basketball player Krista Bird received extra benefits in excess of $500. Those student-athletes must sit out eight games, close their open accounts at the store if suitable and repay the amount of their extra benefit to a charity.

Suspensions must be served within the opening eight games of the 2000-01 season, not including exhibition games. However, the UW has asked the NCAA to allow the eight-game suspensions to be staggered over the first half (13 games) of the season.

Because Bird was the lone suspended women’s basketball player, an extension for her cannot be appealed to the NCAA. The university will appeal to extend the suspension time to 13 games for Linton and Davis. Such an appeal is permissible, according to the NCAA, when multiple suspensions occur on one team.

Vice Chancellor for Legal and Executive Affairs Melany Newby says the university now turns its attention to completing a self-report for the NCAA: “Considering the complexity of this case, it would be difficult to predict how long this phase will take to complete. We will continue to cooperate fully with the NCAA as we work toward a resolution on this matter.”

Sixteen winter and spring sports student-athletes received extra benefits amounting to between $100-299. Those student-athletes must close open accounts, repay the amount of their extra benefit to a charity and perform 24 hours of community service. They are: Roy Boone, men’s basketball; Andy Kowske, men’s basketball; Mark Vershaw, men’s basketball; Judy Ebeling, women’s basketball; Rachel Klongland, women’s basketball; Kristi Seeger, women’s basketball; LaTonya Sims, women’s basketball; Candas Smith, women’s basketball; Mike Cerniglia, men’s hockey; Erik Jensen, men’s hockey; Jason Jackamonis, men’s track; Michael Jackson, men’s track; Jabari Pride, men’s track; Brandon Williams, men’s track; David Neumyer, wrestling; Justin Staebler, wrestling.

Twenty-one winter and spring sport student-athletes received extra benefits amounting to less than $100. Those student-athletes must close any open accounts and repay the amount of their extra benefit to a local charity. They are: Mike Kelley, men’s basketball; Julian Swartz, men’s basketball; Sarah Jirovec, women’s basketball; Jessie Stomski, women’s basketball; Danielle Strong, women’s golf; Alex Brooks, men’s hockey; David Hukalo, men’s hockey; Meredith Blair, women’s rowing; Tara Gedman, women’s rowing; Noelle Vitone, women’s rowing; Brink Ciferri, men’s swimming; Aaron Forgy, men’s swimming; Anders Holm, men’s swimming; Michael Betz, men’s track; Ben Gill, men’s track; Lenton Herring, men’s track; Pierre Leinbach, men’s track; Jonathon Mungen, men’s track; Peter Dowling, wrestling; Joe Terrill, wrestling; Adam Turner, wrestling.