The Long Beach State men’s basketball team was placed on three years probation and lost two scholarships following a seven-month investigation, the NCAA announced Thursday afternoon.
The team’s 18 wins from the 2005-06 season were vacated as a result of the violations, but LBSU will not be banned from postseason play (the upcoming Big West Tournament) and nothing will be done to last season’s wins and Big West title.
Former head coach Larry Reynolds, former assistant coaches Reggie Howard and Brent Bargen, former administrative assistant Scott Waterman and six community college transfers – Jazz Henderson, Dominique Ricks, Sterling Byrd, Aaron Nixon, Kejuan Johnson and Mark Dawson – were investigated in the report.
The report did not reveal specific names. However, it gave enough recruitment information that made linking the reported violations to specific LBSU players and staff possible.
“A lot of pressure was on the coaches [to win],” said NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions Chairwoman Josephine R. Potuto, who reviewed the case and addressed the infractions. A report was released but it did not reveal specific names.
The consequences listed in the report include: public reprimand and censure, three years probation (from March 6, 2008 to March 5, 2011), a forfeit of all wins the six players participated in while ineligible, prohibition from recruiting two-year community college transfers for the 2008-09 academic year, a reduction in scholarships from 13 to 12 for both the 2007-08 and 2008-09 academic years, a reduction in the number of official visits (from the maximum 12 to nine) for both the 2007-08 and 2008-09 recruiting years, and a reduction in the number of coaches (from three to two) allowed to recruit off campus during the 2007 summer recruiting period.
“Our university has a strong culture and history of NCAA compliance,” said CSULB President F. King Alexander in a press release. “No major infraction has been leveled at our university in over 35 years, and when we became aware of these issues, we moved expeditiously to remove the individuals involved and remedy the situation. We have a no-tolerance policy for any coach who crosses these lines. We remain committed to operating an athletics program with the highest integrity that reflects the broad educational values that our institution stands for.”
In addition, the team and Reynolds’ coaching record will be adjusted to reflect the vacated wins.
Some penalties were self-imposed by LBSU and adopted by the committee.
The report cited improper benefits, unethical conduct, impermissible transportation and improper phone calls to student-athletes, who were identified only by numbers in the report.
Potuto addressed one situation involving a player taking four classes at three different community colleges, with the financial help of an assistant coach and tutors, to become eligible in summer 2005.
Another scenario involved an unproctored test taken by a player, where an assistant coach signed the exam, lied to investigators and instructed the proctor to lie, Potuto said.
“The university is responsible for monitoring prospects the coaches knew were ineligible,” Potuto said.
In 2007, LBSU suspended Johnson and Dawson for two games – along with Howard, who never returned to the team – in late January for alleged violations the NCAA was investigating.
In a press release, athletics director Vic Cegles said, “When the university was made aware of the potential violations in October 2006, swift action was taken to address the allegations. In the course of the university’s own internal investigation, the involved coaching staff member was immediately suspended, and two student-athletes were withheld from competition. The university also self-imposed sanctions on the men’s basketball program prior to meeting with the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions.”
Last season, the 49ers finished 24-8, won the Big West Conference championship in Anaheim, and made their first appearance in 12 years in the NCAA Tournament.
This season, LBSU and current head coach Dan Monson, who was hired in April, are 6-22 and 3-11 in conference play.
“We were going to have a difficult year regardless of the NCAA [investigation],” said Cegles, who alluded to the nine players the 49ers lost to graduation. “We have a great coach who will do it the right way. We’re going to move ahead.”
