Last-game fight costs Coyote baseball squad
New Mexico JC to face same sanctions
The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Standards and Ethics Committee has imposed sanctions upon the Weatherford College and New Mexico Junior College baseball teams in response to an on-field fight at the Region V Tournament in Lubbock May 13.
Both teams will face the following sanctions:
*No player from either team will be permitted to receive NJCAA post-season honors in 2008.
*No player involved in the incident will be permitted to receive post-season recognition in 2009.
*Both baseball programs will be placed on NJCAA probation for the 2008-09 academic year, including a ban on post-season play for the spring 2009 season.
*The fall 2008 baseball season at both schools will be shortened--not beginning until September 2 and ending no later than October 15.
*The fall 2008 baseball season at both schools will be limited to no more than 12 games/scrimmages, with no players allowed to be involved in any region all-star competition. *The spring 2009 season for both teams will be shortened--the teams may begin practice on February 1 and begin competition no earlier than February 25. The teams will be limited to no more than 45 games.
*Each student-athlete involved in the incident that has NJCAA eligibility remaining will serve all the above-listed penalties in their next season of fall and spring baseball. Should an involved athlete transfer to another NJCAA member institution, he will serve the above penalty at that institution, including the ban on post-season play.
*The institutions must each institute a written program-wide sportsmanship and ethics policy for all athletes no later than August 1, 2008.
NJCAA officials in Colorado Springs notified the two schools of the sanctions May 29.
"This was an unfortunate incident for both teams, and we will accept the penalties imposed by the NJCAA Standards and Ethics Committee,” said Dr. Joe Birmingham, WC president.
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