CASE: Use of an Academically Ineligible Player

June, 1997 - Commissioner's Casebook

(O.C. Art I, Sec 5, 1.1.1, 1.1.2)
A student athlete had failed to pay his school fees within the time frame outlined by the college. He consequently was deregistered from his classes thus losing his status as a full-time student. The athlete dressed in a game after he was deregistered from his college classes. The offending college won the game. The coaching staff and athletic department were not made aware of this until after the game had been played and notified the ACAC commissioner of this oversight.

RULING: 

The opposing team was credited as winning 1-0 and was awarded the 2 points from the game. The win was marked as a forfeit. All other statistics (individual and team) related to the game remained unchanged.

SEE ALSO: Non-academic eligibility rulings involving the use of a suspended player resulted in the same ruling- the opposing team was credited with the win and all other statistics remained unchanged (2001-02, Dean). It should be noted that this is different from Case 4, where the statistics were erased for the offending team. In cases where the offending college lost the game, the game result stayed the same (2001-02, Dean).
(1996-97, Meadus)