NCAA Announces UM Baseball Sanctions

Feb. 27, 2003

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Committee on Infractions announced this afternoon that it has placed the University of Miami Athletic Department on two years probation for violations in the school’s baseball program. The committee also reduced the number of scholarships that the baseball program can offer student-athletes by 4.66 over the next three years (1.55 per season), 2.3 more than the University’s self-imposed 2.36.

The University began investigating the infractions in 1999 when an anonymous source contacted the athletic department regarding a sports club/conditioning program co-owned by baseball assistant coach Lazaro Collazo. The investigation found that the sports club had allowed prospective student-athletes to use athletic department training facilities and participate in activities that demonstrated their athletic abilities. Both activities are in violation of NCAA rules. Collazo resigned his position effective today.

The investigation also found that limits to baseball financial aid imposed by the NCAA in 1995 were exceeded. And further, that student-athletes and their parents were given boat rides on Biscayne Bay accompanied by athletic department staff members during recruiting visits.

UM Athletics Director Paul Dee commented, “The athletic department takes full responsibility for the actions of its staff members. We accept the penalties and are committed to the enforcement of NCAA rules.”