Maine/NCAA

[sonar]

Ouch.

[Hux]

Re: Maine/NCAA

Not really. Minor possible infraction. According to the Maine Hockey Journal:

The NCAA has been notified that the university is investigating possible compliance concerns. The school is currently investigating whether NCAA bylaws restricting the number of hours student-athletes spent in activities directed or supervised by the coaching staff were violated.

[claw]

Re: Maine/NCAA

Not really. Minor possible infraction. According to the Maine Hockey Journal:

Admittedly my experience in college sports mostly involves watching from afar, but you are constantly hearing of schools that are self reporting "minor infractions" (not even possible ones, but ones they are admitting to) and those coaches are NEVER put on administrative leave of any kind that I can remember for something that is truly minor. There are so many rules, some of them so obscure that coaches can't expect to know all of them. Obviously there are the major rules that they are expected to know, but the NCAA allows for self reporting of these minor violations and more often than not there is nothing substantial that comes from it...as long as it is in fact a minor violation. Now with all that said I don't know if countable hours violations are considered minor or not in the eyes of the NCAA. That would seem to be a little more serious of an issue than maybe calling or emailing a kid too early. Though I remember a big football program (Michigan I think) dealing with this a few years ago under their last coach...and he was never put on leave.

I think the bigger issue is potentially the personnel issues that were referenced in the newspaper article. That didn't sound like the University saying this was a personnel issue in putting Lewis on leave, it sounded to me like they were investigating a possible personnel issue involving her. That is the kind of stuff you can be put on administrative leave for...

All speculation for any of us at this point, but IMHO it doesn't seem to add up to just being something that is just a possible minor infraction, even at this early stage.

[96IllinoisDad]

Re: Maine/NCAA

I think the bigger issue is potentially the personnel issues that were referenced in the newspaper article. That didn't sound like the University saying this was a personnel issue in putting Lewis on leave, it sounded to me like they were investigating a possible personnel issue involving her. That is the kind of stuff you can be put on administrative leave for...

The article said, "The school is currently investigating whether NCAA bylaws restricting the number of hours student-athletes spent in activities directed or supervised by the coaching staff were violated." I think that is pretty straightforward and pretty minor. In other words, the allegation is that "coaching personnel" spent too many hours directing or supervising student athletes. That doesn't seem to severe. Admittedly, paid leave sounds bad, but some administrators choose to take "aggressive" actions upfront on these matters especially if the institution has a history of violations or if someone has made an allegation and it is not self reported (i.e., "we take these things very seriously!").

More curious though is how this would come to light? I would think a player at Maine would have needed to complain about it. I'm not sure anyone else would have been in a position to know.

[wwhyte]

Re: Maine/NCAA

More curious though is how this would come to light? I would think a player at Maine would have needed to complain about it. I'm not sure anyone else would have been in a position to know.

Might some member of academic staff have complained about a student spending too much time on athletics?

[Hux]

Re: Maine/NCAA

The article said, "The school is currently investigating whether NCAA bylaws restricting the number of hours student-athletes spent in activities directed or supervised by the coaching staff were violated." I think that is pretty straightforward and pretty minor. In other words, the allegation is that "coaching personnel" spent too many hours directing or supervising student athletes. That doesn't seem to severe. Admittedly, paid leave sounds bad, but some administrators choose to take "aggressive" actions upfront on these matters especially if the institution has a history of violations or if someone has made an allegation and it is not self reported (i.e., "we take these things very seriously!").

More curious though is how this would come to light? I would think a player at Maine would have needed to complain about it. I'm not sure anyone else would have been in a position to know.

Well, given the situation at Oklahoma State and other institutions over the past few years, you have to figure compliance officers are feeling the heat to stay on top of things lest they find themselves with a pink slip.

[Eeyore]

Re: Maine/NCAA

This isn't necessarily that minor an offense. Excessive practice time is what got the University of Michigan football program in trouble under Rich Rodriguez a few years ago. Michigan self-imposed penalties that the NCAA upheld:

1) Three years on probation;
2) Reduced future practice times by two hours for every hour they went over the limits;
3) Cut two quality control staffers (whatever they are; they were supervising 7-on-7 practices during the summer) and restricted their activities.

The severity of the penalties will depend upon just how much extra coaching time is involved and whether or not the NCAA thinks that it indicates that the program "failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance."

As for how it was discovered, that could have happened in a number of different ways. Ideally it was caught by the compliance staff very quickly. They are supposed to be monitoring things just like this so that it doesn't take an athlete or member of the academic staff complaining about it. If that is the case, expect it to be handled as a very minor infraction with no institutional component. The only way this becomes serious is if the school's compliance department didn't catch it and it took some other event to bring it to light.

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: Maine/NCAA

So is there any Updated info on the status of Coach Lewis and the Maine Womens Program..?

[dontblink]

So is there any Updated info on the status of Coach Lewis and the Maine Womens Program..?

The team is working hard and staying positive. They have a good freshman class that is adjusting well. Coach Lewis has done a great job preparing the girls for hockey and life. The team is training for the season and are looking forward to the return of Coach Lewis. The sooner the better!

[Eeyore]

Re: Maine/NCAA

The team is working hard and staying positive. They have a good freshman class that is adjusting well. Coach Lewis has done a great job preparing the girls for hockey and life. The team is training for the season and are looking forward to the return of Coach Lewis. The sooner the better!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeVca9MwDX8

[AggiesHockey]

Re: Maine/NCAA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeVca9MwDX8

What winning streak?

[123kidd]

Re: Maine/NCAA

Yeah, they haven't won a game since Feb. 9

[OnMAA]

Re: Maine/NCAA

Yeah, they haven't won a game since Feb. 9

You trying to be funny or for real ?....There are many other teams that have not won a game since sometime in February...

[123kidd]

You trying to be funny or for real ?....There are many other teams that have not won a game since sometime in February...

It was more of a question to why someone would post a link to a winning streak clip? You know, like its better than losing.

[ARM]

Re: Maine/NCAA

It was more of a question to why someone would post a link to a winning streak clip? You know, like its better than losing.

Cliches. The clip was about interview cliches.