D3Playbook: BREAKING: Mary Hardin-Baylor Must Vacate 2016 Football Title

D3Playbook - BREAKING NEWS
OCTOBER 10, 2019 | written by Steve Ulrich
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BREAKING NEWS: Mary Hardin-Baylor Must Vacate 2016 Football Championship

Mary Hardin-Baylor must vacate its 2016 NCAA Division III football championship, according to a decision by the Committee on Infractions.

Head coach Pete Fredenburg impermissibly provided the use of his car to two student-athletes. According to the committee, the football staff members, led by Fredenburg, violated recruiting and extra benefit rules by providing impermissible transportation.

“Of particular concern to the COI is the fact that a football staff member questioned the head coach about providing a car to the student-athlete, but the head coach dismissed the staff member’s concern and took no action to ascertain the permissibility of his actions,” the committee said in its report.

>> The Key Stat: The penalties include the following:

Two years of probation (self-imposed by the university).
A vacation of records in which any ineligible student-athletes competed.
A $2,500 fine (self-imposed by the university).
Outside audit of the college’s athletics policies and procedures to ensure that they are consistent with institutional guidelines and NCAA Division III rules (self-imposed by the university).
A three-month suspension of the head coach and a suspension for the first three contests of the 2018 season (self-imposed by the university).
Mandatory attendance for the head coach at a 2018 NCAA Regional Rules Seminar and attendance during each year of probation (self-imposed by the university).
Mandatory attendance for all assistant football coaches, including the recruiting and academic coordinator, at a Regional Rules Seminar during probation.

>> Rebuttal from UMHB: The NCAA's Committee on Infractions (COI) released its report today and accepted all of UMHB's corrective actions and self-imposed penalties, which included a two-year probation period for the football program, enhanced compliance training, and a $2,500 fine. Head Coach Pete Fredenburg also received a three-month suspension without pay and a three-game suspension at the beginning of the 2018 season.

However, the COI added a penalty of vacating wins and records during the 2016 and 2017 football seasons, including the 2016 DIII National Championship, which UMHB will appeal.

More to come in Friday's Playbook.