July 31, 1996 Contact: John Diamond at (207) 581-3743 Joe Carr at (207) 581-3571 Matt Bourque at (207) 581-3646 UMAINE OFFICIALS REACT TO NCAA FINDINGS ORONO, Maine -- University of Maine officials reacted to the NCAA's Committee on Infractions report today, saying that they are pleased that the committee came to many of the same conclusions as the University on the factual issues surrounding the schools' athletics investigation. However, the officials expressed disappointment that the committee imposed certain additional penalties beyond those already imposed by the University itself. At an afternoon news conference, President Frederick E. Hutchinson and Director of Athletics and Recreation Suzanne Tyler said that they appreciated that the committee viewed the University's rules infractions as the result of "misinterpretation, misapplication, or ignorance of NCAA rules," and not because of any deliberate attempt to break the rules. However, Hutchinson and Tyler both said that they believe certain NCAA penalties against the men's ice hockey program -- specifically a ban on post-season competition for the upcoming school year -- were "excessive." "I am especially disheartened that members of that team -- the very students who volunteered much of the information on which many of the findings were based -- may now suffer for their honesty by being denied a chance to compete in post-season tournaments once again next year," Hutchinson said. "That punishment seems excessive, given the circumstances and the penalties the program has already received. It also seems excessive in light of the uncommon and impressive level of cooperation that the NCAA acknowledges it received from our student-athletes." Tyler said she and Hutchinson agree that the University should consider certain elements of the additional penalties imposed by the NCAA. "There may be some penalties that, while harsh, we nonetheless might choose to accept in order to move on," Tyler explained. "However, there is one penalty which we find so excessive and unfair that the president and I feel obligated to appeal it, specifically another year's prohibition on post-season play for ice hockey. Whether we decide to appeal other NCAA penalties will depend on several considerations, especially the issue of fairness to the students." Tyler continued, "We need more time to contemplate what clearly were unexpectedly harsh penalties on programs and students. We won't make those decisions hastily, but neither will we attempt to drag this process out. Like most everyone, we want closure, but we also want what is fair and appropriate for our students, our athletics programs, and the University." Hutchinson and Tyler were also encouraged by the committee chairperson's comments regarding the ice hockey team's 1993 national championship. David Swank, the committee chairperson, stated in his news conference that the committee did not find the University responsible for two student-athletes who competed in the championship game but whose eligibility was questioned as a result of the investigation. The NCAA's Executive Committee will determine whether UMaine loses its 1993 championship in August. That committee will consider the case of a student-athlete on that team who had been a member of the 1992 Olympic hockey team, and who, along with others on the team, had received a stipend after the Olympics for competing. The student-athlete and his mother had been told by Olympic team officials that the stipend was permissible under NCAA rules. That assurance later proved to be inaccurate. Another accusation, involving a member of the 1993 championship team who had been inaccurately certified as eligible for the Fall 1991 semester, was dropped by NCAA staff, was not considered by the Committee on Infractions, and is not expected to be considered by the Executive Committee. The student-athlete and the ice hockey program were penalized in 1993 for the inaccurate certification that occurred in 1991. --------