Nebraska Wrestling and SwimmingPrograms Put on Probation
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Associated Press ()
01/23/2002
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska's wrestling and swimming programs were placed on two years probation Wednesday by the NCAA for multiple infractions by former coaches. Former head wrestling coach Tim Neumann gave nearly $6,000 to five wrestlers to help with school expenses and $500 to another wrestler so he could pay off a gambling debt, according to the NCAA's Division I committee on infractions. As a result, the university exceeded its maximum financial aid limits during 1996-1997 year, according to a report on the NCAA investigation released Wednesday. The NCAA found that the money used by Neumann to pay his wrestlers was from his personal funds or from his summer wrestling camp. Several swimming coaches violated NCAA rules by asking swimmers to accept cuts in their financial aid and then later reimbursing the athletes. The coaches also were found to have violated recruiting restrictions involving impermissible tryouts, telephone contacts with prospective recruits and housing arrangements for prospective recruits. The NCAA committee concluded Nebraska failed to properly monitor and control the use of funds in the wrestling and swimming programs. It also found that the university failed to determine that Neumann had violated the NCAA's code of ethics. Athletic director Bill Byrne was not immediately available for comment. The university conducted internal investigations into both sports programs and presented its findings to the NCAA last year. Byrne has said that ``major infractions'' in the swimming program led to the athletic department's decision last spring to drop men's swimming and diving as a varsity sport. The university still has a women's swimming and diving team. Former swimming and diving coach Cal Bentz and three longtime assistants were suspended in September 2000 when the university began its investigation into that program. Bentz retired three months later.