I. MAINE CASE IN NCAA REGISTER
The hardcopy of the September 2, 1996 NCAA News arrived in my mailbox
today.  It includes the NCAA Register, which includes among other things,
the Committee on Infractions' report on the infractions case concerning
Maine.
 
The NCAA's web site, http://www.ncaa.org/, does contain an online edition
of the news, but as of this time, they have not added the Register yet.
The Register that is online is still the August edition; presumably they
will add the September Register sometime soon.
 
The report is about two pages long, small type, and I will not reproduce it
here.  However, section III.C (additional penalties imposed by the CoI)
answers the question we have been asking about whether Maine is eligible
for the HE tournament and whose decision it is (NCAA or HE):
 
"3. The institution's men's ice hockey team shall end its 1996-97 season
with the playing of its last regularly scheduled, in-season contest and
shall not be eligible to participate in any postseason competition.  During
the 1996-97 academic year, the men's ice hockey team may not take advantage
of any of the exemptions provided in Bylaw 17.10.5.3."
 
17.10.5.3 is the bylaw that allows exemptions for hosting a foreign team,
going to Alaska, playing in conference postseason tourneys, etc.  This
explanation makes it clear that unless Maine wins its appeal, the team
cannot play in the HE tourney as a result of NCAA sanctions (and not any
decision by HE).
 
Also, as I believe some have suggested, Maine's schedule as I last saw it
needs at least one change to account for an exemption that was to be taken.
Maine was scheduled for 35 games before the report was issued, one a home
game against Dalhousie in the JC Penney Classic.  This was to be an
exemption for hosting a foreign team.  To comply with the sanctions, Maine
will need to reduce its schedule by one game.  Maine can continue to play
Dalhousie in the tourney, but then they will need to cancel another game
with someone else.
 
Maine's NC schedule for 1996-97: @ Michigan, @ LSSU, Colgate,
Alabama-Huntsville (2), Governor's Cup vs Lowell and UNH/Vermont (2), JC
Penney Classic vs Dalhousie and Union/Princeton (2), Denver Cup vs Air
Force and Denver/Yale (2).  Total: 11 games.  If the HE games and
tournaments aren't touched, then the NC games against Michigan, LSSU,
Colgate, and UAH seem likely candidates for cancellation.
 
This isn't bound to make the team that has its game cancelled very happy,
but something will need to be done (unless the appeal is successful).
However, recall the case in DivIII a couple of years ago where Williams
canceled games with RIT and Wesleyan, and RIT and Wesleyan both received
forfeit wins *and* were able to schedule an additional game between
themselves to make up for the game cancelled.  Technically, I believe that
if Maine cannot get any school to agree to cancellation, they could simply
choose a game to forfeit and not play (could be a HE game), and they would
be within the rules; the team would only play 34 games, and what counts is
the games you actually play, not the ones you schedule.  Still, I would
expect that there will be one game cancelled and hopefully this will go
smoothly.  When the schedule was drawn up, there was no reason to suspect
that exemptions would be affected.
 
II. MORE FROM REGISTER
The Register also contains details on secondary infractions and
administrative reviews concerning various sports, some involving ice
hockey.  No names or schools are mentioned, but it appears that four
reviews involved the Travis Roy situation and fundraising on his behalf;
all were granted.
 
Another review involved a SA who was ranked as a top 10 draft prospect by
NHL scouting and as such, the NHL wished to fly him to the Stanley Cup
finals to meet with the media.  The SA had eligibility remaining and this
was the first time such a SA had been ranked in the top 10.  It was argued
that this would benefit college hockey by exposing the professional
community to the positive aspects of the college game.  This request was
denied.  Again, no names are mentioned; could it have been Erik Rasmussen?
 
Finally, an unusual case involved DivIII.  In 1993-94, a SA played in a
scrimmage (no officials, scoresheets, etc.) while enrolled at SchoolA, but
he played for SchoolB's team (against SchoolA) because SchoolB did not have
enough players due to illness.  He did not play at all for SchoolA that
year, and then he transferred to SchoolB in the fall of 1994.  The petition
was for an additional year of eligibility at SchoolB.  It was granted
because the scrimmage occurred before final cuts were made and the SA did
not participate in any other contest for SchoolA.
 
---                                                                   ---
Mike Machnik                   [log in to unmask]            *HMM* 11/13/93
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