Eligibility of Baseball Player at Oxnard College in Doubt

The Oxnard College baseball team might have to forfeit numerous games from the recently completed season because a regular’s academic eligibility is in question, Oxnard Athletic Director Ralph Smith said Friday.

Smith refused to name him but said the player might have fallen several units short of minimum eligibility requirements and that Oxnard would have to forfeit nearly all of its victories if the player is indeed found ineligible. Oxnard finished 22-18 and tied for fourth in the Western State Conference at 12-8.

Smith said he had apprised Western State Conference Commissioner Aviva Kamin of the matter. “She gave me marching orders. I have to act by Monday,” he said.

A baseball player must complete 24 units with a C average from the spring semester of his freshman year through the fall semester of his sophomore year to be eligible as a sophomore.

Smith said the player transferred to Oxnard, needed to complete 18 units in the fall and came up nine short. According to Smith, the player claimed he did not receive a report card and did not discover the error until he recently consulted an academic counselor.

Smith said the player failed three classes but appealed one and was given a passing grade. According to Smith, the player believes he passed all three classes and is appealing the other two failing grades.