JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) – The NCAA has announced penalties for Arkansas State University’s football and women’s soccer programs, relating to tampering and impermissible benefits, the organization announced Friday.
The school will receive a $15,000 fine, a reduction of official and unofficial visits, a one-game suspension for head women’s soccer coach Brian Dooley, and placed on probation for one year, among other punishments.
“In early 2023, Arkansas State became aware of information pertaining to a potential NCAA rules violation in its women’s soccer program,” an Arkansas State spokesperson said to KAIT in a statement. “The Arkansas State Athletics Department immediately notified the NCAA enforcement staff and began having transparent and collaborative conversations with that body to investigate and address the matter.”
A-State self-reported violations in March 2023, saying the school paid for the airfare cost for 10 recruits’ parents totaling $4,144 from 2019 to 2023, which are classified as impermissible benefits. According to the NCAA report, the violations were uncovered in January 2023, with Dooley believing the payments were allowed.
The report added that four of those student-athletes whose parents’ travel was covered went on to play 82 games for the Red Wolves. The team will vacate each win, ruling the four athletes ineligible.
Two former A-State football assistants also received penalties for contacting an NCAA Division II player who had not entered the transfer portal. Former assistant Nick Montgomery arranged for the player to speak with former linebackers coach Jon Shalala over the phone in April 2023.
The two coaches each have a one-year show-cause order. Shalala, who left the program in 2024, will be suspended two games and be banned from recruiting off campus for two weeks should another school employ him. Montgomery will have a one-week suspension if he’s hired by another school.
The NCAA says Arkansas State head coach Butch Jones was not aware or involved, so he did not receive a penalty.
The football program will have three official visits taken away in the 2023-24 academic year, and a two-week ban on unofficial visits during the 2024-25 academic year.
“Throughout the infractions process, our administration and coaches cooperated fully with the NCAA’s staff to perform an investigation and expedite a final Negotiated Resolution,” the school said. “This included proactively self-imposing corrective measures and penalties and working with the NCAA to develop an agreed set of penalties that are consistent with NCAA standards for similar violations. Arkansas State respects and appreciates the NCAA’s decision to expedite the resolution of these issues and wishes to thank the NCAA’s enforcement staff and Committee on Infractions for their diligent work with our administration.
“Arkansas State Athletics takes all NCAA rules and regulations seriously while continuing to develop and implement a comprehensive educational program on NCAA legislation with all Athletics Department and institutional personnel.”
Click here for the NCAA report regarding the findings. The full 13-page report can be found here.
NCAA Punishments to Arkansas State
Full Statement from Arkansas State University
“In early 2023, Arkansas State became aware of information pertaining to a potential NCAA rules violation in its women’s soccer program. The Arkansas State Athletics Department immediately notified the NCAA enforcement staff and began having transparent and collaborative conversations with that body to investigate and address the matter. During the course of this work, Arkansas State learned of another separate and unrelated issue and continued collaborating with the NCAA to address that issue as well. The NCAA’s public report detailing these efforts is available here.
Throughout the infractions process, our administration and coaches cooperated fully with the NCAA’s staff to perform an investigation and expedite a final Negotiated Resolution. This included proactively self-imposing corrective measures and penalties and working with the NCAA to develop an agreed set of penalties that are consistent with NCAA standards for similar violations.
Arkansas State respects and appreciates the NCAA’s decision to expedite the resolution of these issues and wishes to thank the NCAA’s enforcement staff and Committee on Infractions for their diligent work with our administration.
Arkansas State Athletics takes all NCAA rules and regulations seriously while continuing to develop and implement a comprehensive educational program on NCAA legislation with all Athletics Department and institutional personnel.”
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