OCC athletics placed on probation

The Orange Coast College athletic department announced on its website Friday that all sports have been placed on probation by the California Community College Athletic Assn. for rules violations relating to out-of-season practices by seven fall sports teams.

The announcement did not detail all the terms of the probation. OCC Athletic Director Dr. Michael Sutliff did not immediately return phone calls made to his office Friday.

As part of the probation the men’s and women’s water polo teams, men’s and women’s cross country teams, men’s and women’s soccer teams and the women’s volleyball team have been required to cancel one nonconference contest in addition to the probation. That could mean those teams are required to forfeit one nonconference contest.

OCC is appealing the decision and hopes to hear from the CCCAA State Board of Appeals by the end of the month.

Adam Lee, the men’s and women’s water polo coach at OCC, said he was not aware of the probation.

“I don’t know what is really going on,” he said.

“To the best of my knowledge, no,” he answered after being asked if his teams performed out-of-season practices.

— Steve Virgen