It's not quite over yet..
 
During a press conference on the campus of the University of Maine,
Maine President Frederick Hutchinson and Maine Athletic Director
Suzanne Tyler made it clear that while in many cases the NCAA's
penalties are fair and necessary, the added year of post-season
sanction is "excessive".
 
Maine plans to appeal at least the part of the NCAA penalties that
bans the University of Maine from competing in the 1996-7 NCAA
Tournament.
 
"We want closure," Tyler said, "but we also want what is fair to our
students."
 
Both Tyler and Hutchinson cited their concern for the players who
during the last three years have missed two post-season tournaments
already and that it was these players complete cooperation that made
this investigation complete and successful.
 
Maine noted that the NCAA told them they were impressed with how open
Maine, and their players were with regards to giving information and
being honest.  Such cooperation apparently is uncommon.
 
Maine officials did not entirely focus on the negatives.  While
disappointed with the decision on post-season play, Maine officials
were very pleased that the NCAA agreed with Maine on the Shawn Walsh
situation with unethical conduct, especially with the "controversy"
surrounding this as Hutchinson said.
 
Tyler said she was pleased to have a compliance system in place that
the NCAA has commended, and other institutions have cited as models
for their own compliance systems.
 
It was also apparent that there is a sense of relief that things are
all out on the table, and Maine knows what their penalty is.
 
Shawn Walsh was not in attendence, but will make his on statement.
If I get my hands on any of his comments I'll post them since I know
many are interested.  Tyler did say that Walsh reacted with
disappointment with the decision.
 
Maine was not specific under what grounds they will use to appeal, or
if they will appeal other areas.  Maine officials did say that Maine
would be willing to swallow some of the other penalties with a
successful appeal.
 
The NCAA has limits on the time on appeals.. Maine has 15 days to
appeal, and there are time frames for everything unlike the NCAA's
inital ruling.  At worst, assuming all parties use the max amount of
time, this will take another 90 days to finalize.  Maine officials
say they doubt this will take that long.
 
Maine will have a release on this later today, and I will forward
this to the list as well when it becomes available.
---
Deron Treadwell - [log in to unmask]
Orono, Maine
INFO-HOCKEY-L Administrator
ME-HOCKEY Administrator