No NCAA Sanctions for SDSU : Women’s basketball: Report states university acted ‘responsibly,’ but then-coach says he committed no wrongdoings.

The NCAA announced Wednesday that no sanctions will be imposed on the San Diego State women’s basketball program, even though Earnest Riggins, former women’s coach, committed a “major” rules violation in 1989.

The NCAA infractions committee’s report said SDSU “acted responsibly and correctly” in firing Riggins for helping Chana Perry negotiate a contract with an Italian professional team.

“Our belief was that the institution acted properly and expeditiously,” said Fred Miller, SDSU’s athletic director. “The end result speaks for that.”

Perry, an All-American center at SDSU, met with Riggins and an agent at a national women’s basketball tournament after the 1988-89 season. The infractions committee said Riggins promoted Perry to the agent and assisted (Perry) in obtaining and filling out a standard agent’s contract.

The university dismissed Riggins on May 14, 1989, less than a month after learning that Riggins violated NCAA rules.

Riggins, who is unemployed and living in St. Louis, has maintained his innocence throughout. SDSU representatives and Riggins appeared in front of the infractions committee April 19, 1991, but Riggins said he did not feel he received a fair hearing.

“You’ve got to understand that the NCAA is a governing body which doesn’t give you a chance for cross-examination,” said Riggins, who does not deny the meeting with Perry and the agent but does say he did nothing to promote his player. “They don’t give you due process, and there are no witnesses you can bring in.

“(The NCAA’s finding) is just what San Diego State reported. San Diego State is an NCAA institution; they’re going to go with what San Diego State says without giving me a chance for due process. There’s not much you can do. I’m not disappointed in the ruling because I expected as a much.

“The thing that irritated me once San Diego State jumped to the conclusion of what had allegedly taken place, they went out and got statements from people, and everything was hearsay. To me, it was like kangaroo court.”

After his dismissal, Riggins filed a grievance against the school, seeking pay for 1989-90 season.

An arbitrator has ruled that Riggins had a one-year contract for 1988-89 with a guaranteed second year. Riggins said another arbitrator was expected to rule next week whether he could make demands to be paid for that second year.

With a raise, fringe benefits and sick leave, Riggins is seeking between $75,000 and $78,000.

SDSU traditionally includes a clause in each coach’s contract that voids that contract if an NCAA violation occurs.

Miller called the grievance a “personnel matter” and declined to comment.

Paul Worthman, the director of contract representation for the California Faculty Assn. and the man who is representing Riggins in his grievance, said the timing of the NCAA’s announcement might hurt Riggins’ case with the arbitrator.

“The report could have come out a month ago, but the fact that it came out today . . . (SDSU) took advantage of it,” Worthman said.

Worthman vowed to “pursue (the timing of) this release” with the NCAA “and other forums.”

Although no sanctions were imposed on SDSU, the university’s athletic department could receive penalties if a second violation is reported in the next five years. During the five-year period, SDSU must submit written reports to the NCAA about the university’s program of educating coaches and athletic department staff about NCAA rules.