NCAA Public Infractions Report

WICHITA, Kan. - Wichita State University received the final decision of the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions on Thursday, January 29, 2015, regarding an investigation that began in November 2013. WSU initiated its own investigation in November 2013 when Head Coach Todd Butler discovered that baseball student-athletes had potentially received extra benefits through an Under Armour VIP apparel account. The NCAA Enforcement staff joined the investigation in January 2014 and the University and staff worked cooperatively to conclude the investigation in late February 2014. WSU and the NCAA Enforcement staff investigated how and why 21 current and former student-athletes were allowed to purchase discounted shoes, clothing, hunting gear and other non-athletic items from a period beginning in February 2012 and lasting through November 2013. 

The Committee on Infractions concluded that WSU did not monitor the activities of a former administrative assistant regarding her use of a VIP account provided to her by Under Armour.  The former administrative assistant provided her log-in information to the involved baseball players so they could access her computer and the VIP account. The athletes did pay for the items themselves using their personal credit card or a parent's credit card. The baseball student-athletes' believed it was permissible to utilize the VIP account because of WSU's agreement with Under Armour.

The NCAA Committee on Infractions concluded the institution committed two Level II violations and one Level III violation, as described below:

1. Level II - Impermissible Extra Benefits – from February 2012 through November 2013, the former administrative assistant provided impermissible extra benefits to 21 baseball student-athletes through the Under Armour VIP account when she allowed them to purchase items at a discounted price.
    
2. Level II - Failure to Monitor by the Institution – from February 2012 through November 2013, the institution failed to monitor the baseball program when it did not closely monitor the activities of the former administrative assistant, make timely changes to its apparel ordering system or adequately educate the former administrative assistant.
    
3. Level III – Recruiting Inducements – on November 20, 2013, the former administrative assistant provided recruiting inducements to a two-year college softball coach and two-year college prospective student-athletes when she allowed the coach to order 20 pullover shirts through the VIP apparel account.  The two-year college softball coach paid $370.30 for the shirts, $277.50 less than their retail value of $647.80.  He dispersed the shirts to the members of his team, who were prospective student-athletes.  No members of this team enrolled at WSU.

The penalties imposed by Wichita State University and the NCAA Committee on Infractions in this case include:

• Public reprimand and censure;
• One year probation from January 29, 2015 through January 28, 2016;
• A fine of $5,000;
• A vacation of all regular season and Missouri Valley Conference tournament wins in which the 21 baseball student-athletes competed while ineligible.  The total amount of wins vacated by WSU was 69.

The penalties imposed by WSU and the Committee on Infractions did NOT include any competition penalties or any post-season ban for the program, nor any scholarship reductions or recruiting restrictions.