Raiders avoid postseason ban

The good news is that the Three Rivers Raiders avoided a postseason ban. Bad news, they lost two more scholarships and are on something akin to double-secret probation.

That's the substance of a letter the college received from NJCAA Executive Director Mary Ellen Leicht on June 30. Three Rivers President Dr. Devin Stephenson provided a copy of the letter Friday.

All four programs at Three Rivers were issued some degree of sanctions for various self-reported violations based on the findings of a consultant hired by the college. But the men's basketball program was singled out since the Raiders were already hit with sanctions in 2009.

The letter states "three years of scholarship reductions" and lists the following:

"a. Maximum of 11 total scholarships allowed for the 2011-12 academic year ...

"b. Maximum of 9 total scholarships allowed for the 2012-13 academic year ...

"c. Maximum of 9 total scholarships allowed for the 2012-13 academic year ..."

There's two problems with that.

a. Three Rivers already was down to 11 scholarships for 2011-12 after the program was sanctioned in 2009 so (a) is not actually a reduction.

b. Both (b) and (c) list the same academic years.

Obviously there's a typo in the letter. As someone who has had his fair share of typos show up in print -- even my own name -- I can relate.

It is, however, ironic that the governing body which punishes when i's are not dotted or t's not crossed will itself forget to do just that.

But here's the thing about the alphabet organizations that oversee amateur athletics -- the NJCAA, NCAA, MSHSAA -- they're not the police, or really the judge and jury. It's more like a prison warden and the individual institutions must police themselves, or else it's a trip to solitary confinement.

Forget due process, these organizations process the dues and hand out championships.

The college started looking into questions about feeding basketball players too much, leading to an independent audit this spring which enveloped the entire athletic program.

One of the self-reported violations occurred before the previous sanctions were handed out in 2009 in which two players were given medical coverage that exceeds the rule. However in his response letter to the NJCAA, Athletic Director Gene Bess said "this allegation is based on billing codes in the bills that were paid" and was given no opportunity to explain that the players were sent to the doctor for injuries.

At first, the college was given a choice of a postseason ban and reduction in scholarships or a full audit funded by the college.

Seventeen days after receiving the first letter from the NJCAA, Three Rivers got a final ruling.

Along with the men's basketball sanctions, which will take away six scholarships for two seasons, the softball and women's basketball teams were issued "official reprimands" because players got treats after games. The baseball team had Letter of Intent infractions resulting in scholarship reductions, 23 for 2012-13 and 22 for 2013-14.

Leicht's letter warns that the next infraction by the men's basketball program will bring a penalty of probation. She outlines steps which the college must follow to police itself better:

First, a member of the "president's cabinet" will be designated to serve as the "Senior Athletic Administrator" with "total oversight for all activities of the athletic teams, support organizations, and any and all other matters related to intercollegiate athletic programs at the college."

Second, an independent compliance officer who "does not serve as a coach and/or receive compensation through the athletic budget."

Third, the Booster Club and the new Raider Victory Club will merge by July 1, 2013 and "operate as a single administrative unit under the purview of the college."

Also during the next three years, the audits of the college and booster clubs will be provided to the NJCAA. Coaches must also pass the "NJCAA compliance certification exam annually."

Contact between the college and NJCAA, the letter states, either by phone or email "will be limited to the institution's senior athletic administrator or president" and "the College and all its personnel will respect the NJCAA..."

Following the sanctions in 2009, Bess and the Raiders were able to put all the off-court distractions behind them and reach the championship game.

There's no doubt that by the time November rolls around the focus will once again be on the court, but the biggest battle may end up being in the boardroom.