MONTGOMERY, Ala.
Alabama State University’s football program was placed on five years’ probation by the NCAA on Wednesday and must forfeit all games won in the 2000 and 2001 seasons, including the 2001 Southwestern Athletic Conference championship.
The NCAA also banned Alabama State from playing in the postseason in 2009, including the SWAC title game.
The Committee on Infractions found the Hornets program guilty of 17 rules violations that allegedly occurred in the football program from 1999-2003. The violations include changing grades, allowing ineligible players to play and practice, conducting offseason workouts that are not allowed by NCAA rules and members of the coaching staff making illegal contact with recruits.
The NCAA findings were announced by Dennis Thomas, commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
The university’s executive vice president, John Knight, said the violations involved actions “you never like to see take place.”
“This is an experience we can learn from and build a quality athletic program at Alabama State,” Knight said.
