Georgia Tech on Probation, May Appeal

The NCAA placed Georgia Tech on two years’ probation Thursday for using 17 academically ineligible athletes in four sports, including 11 in football.

It is the first time Georgia Tech has been placed on probation. The school had proposed self-imposed sanctions, including one year on probation.

Georgia Tech argued the violations were not intentional and may appeal the penalties.

“We are disappointed by the ruling of the NCAA Committee on Infractions,” Georgia Tech Athletic Director Dave Braine said. “Yes, mistakes were made, but they were inadvertent and confined to a small number of cases when you consider that we reviewed more than 800 transcripts.”

The NCAA’s Committee on Infractions accepted the school’s proposed scholarship reductions in football and men’s and women’s track. A violation was found in the women’s swimming program, but the swimmer was not on scholarship, so that program did not lose a scholarship.

Georgia Tech already reduced its 2005 football signing class by six and also will reduce its 2006 signing class by six.

The NCAA vacated Tech’s records in the sports between the 1998-99 and 2004-05 academic years and issued a public reprimand and censure.

Gene Marsh, a law professor at Alabama who chaired the investigating committee, said Tech’s registrars and academic advisors were inadequately trained in NCAA regulations.