NCAA Puts Upsala College on Probation

The NCAA placed Upsala College’s basketball program on probation for five years and banned postseason play for three years today for violations that allegedly included improper payments to some players.

The NCAA Committee on Infractions said the violations by the Division III team were “as serious as the committee has found in any infractions case in recent years” and included payments of more than $11,000 to student-athletes.

The report said the violations occurred between 1984 and 1988. Russ Thompson was head basketball coach at that time.

Thompson’s record in four seasons from 1984 to ’88 was 67-36. He was succeeded by Hoddy Mahon, who has compiled a 30-23 record in two years.

Thompson is now on the coaching staff at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

The committee said Upsala for several years allowed student-athletes to receive “monetary benefits that gave its men’s basketball program a significant competitive advantage” over other Division III schools.

The NCAA said a former member of the college’s governing board made improper payments of more than $11,000 to student-athletes. The person was not identified.

Two athletes were paid for work they did not perform at college jobs, the NCAA said. In addition, the former basketball coach gave “small amounts of cash” to several athletes and souvenir clothing to two prospective students.

The NCAA said part of the improper monetary benefits came as a result of the school’s failure to “take meaningful steps to collect tuition payments from many of its student athletes.”