Ryan already posted some info on this...here is the story that appeared
in this morning's Boston Globe: (quoted verbatim)
 
Maine hockey may forfeit 30 games
By Allen Lessels
Globe Staff
 
The University of Maine, stung by a series of NCAA compliance violations
this year, took another hit yesterday when the school announced that five
athletes, on five teams, had played while ineligible.
 
The school also announced that as a result of the string of violations,
athletic director Michael Ploszek was being suspended without pay for a week,
beginning Sunday.
 
The defending national champion men's ice hockey team was once again affected
when Patrice Tardif, its second-leading scorer, was one of the athletes ruled
ineligible. Maine is faxing a self-report of the violations to the NCAA today
and Ploszek said it is likely all games involving the five athletes will be
forfeited.
 
Tardif has played in all 30 games this season. The Black Bears, 11-15-4 overall,
already forfeited three wins for using an ineligible player in their first
three games.
 
Tardif, like the four other players cited, has received a bachelor's degree
from the school and is considered a graduate-level student. Based on
inaccurate information provided by compliance officer Linwood Carville, none
of the students was carrying enough credits to be eligible. The others involved
were cross-country runner Kerry Brothers, football defensive lineman Fred L
Larner, field hockey captain Gretchen Lahey, and indoor track athlete Allyson
Lowell.
 
All were carrying six credits, which the university requires to be considered
a full-time graduate student, not the eight credits the NCAA requires to
compete.
 
"It's execution," said Ploszek. "We have the systems in place, we just haven't
gotten the execution of them. At this point I want to send a clear message thaat
I'm accountable and there's no question the buck stops here."
 
"With each increasing episode, I am more and more determined we're going to
get this thing right. I feel a little bit of disbelief and I'm frustrated,
but we'll deal with it and get on with it."
 
"None of the students involved is at fault," said Maine president Frederick
Hutchinson in a release. "All played by the rules as they were presented to
them. They did nothing wrong."
 
Ploszek said Carville has been relieved of his duties and has been assigned
elsewhere in the university.
 
Maine's problems began last fall when senior Cal Ingraham was ruled ineligible
for 14 games because of an error made when he transferred from Air Force.
Maine had to forfeit 13 wins from the 1991-92 season and Ingraham had to sit
out the first 14 games this year.
 
It was later determined that freshman defenseman Jeff Tory was ineligible.
Maine forfeited its first three games this season and coach Shawn Walsh was
suspended five games for his role in allowing Tory, who had an insufficient
high school transcript, to play.
 
Last week, the Maine women's basketball team was ruled ineligible to compete
in the North Atlantic Conference tournament because coach Joanne Palombo
had scheduled one more game than the NCAA allowed in a season. Ploszek said
last night there is still a chance Maine may be allowed to compete in the
tournament.
 
                           ********************
 
-Sid Whitaker
 BU '95