GREENVILLE — East Carolina University announced on Thursday that it has been placed on one year probation by the NCAA after it was found that a female tennis player who was working as an academic tutor wrote papers for four baseball players in 2010.
Upon discovering these violations East Carolina reported itself and cooperated fully with the NCAA.
The terms of the probation do no prohibit postseason play in any sport, impose recruiting sanctions or monetary penalties. However, 17 baseball games and eight tennis matches will be vacated from the record books.
Last season freshman Tyler Jones, Bryan Bass, along with juniors Stihl Sowers and Dustin Harrington were dismissed from the baseball team for violating team rules.
"The actions of a handful of student athletes that made poor choices have embarrassed the university and an athletic program that places a high value on integrity," said Marilyn Sheerer, who serves as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at East Carolina.
Typically, a major violation such as academic fraud can result in a two-year probation among other penalties, but because of the swift and thorough investigation concluded by the school the NCAA decided in favor a one-year probation sentence.
"The decisive actions that were taken across the board were taken into account," ECU athletics director Terry Holland said.
According to an ECU press release, the last time it had been found guilty of NCAA infractions was in 1986 when was found that then-football coach Ed Emory arranged for over 60 players to receive clothing on credit but only half actually paid the bill among, among other infractions.
