Clemson reports 21 NCAA violations in past two years
A parent of a Clemson football player received two tickets from a booster for seats in a suite during a 2021 regular-season football game. That was one of 21 NCAA rules violations that were reported by Clemson’s athletics department between Jan. 1, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2021.
The State obtained the documents through an open records request.
There was no cause for the NCAA to take action in the incident involving a parent-booster ticket exchange, according to the documents, but Clemson’s compliance department provided “rules education” to the student-athlete, the parent and the involved booster. Compliance also sent educational material to the other families of football players — as well as boosters and suite holders — in the form of newsletters.
The violation was one of five involving the Tigers’ football team, though three others were of a recruiting nature. The other incident, which occurred in 2020, involved a student-athlete selling three complimentary tickets to a regular-season home game.
As a whole, all 21 of the Clemson athletic program’s violations the last two years were deemed a Level III offense, which, according to the NCAA, is isolated or limited in nature, can be inadvertent in nature and only provides a minimal recruiting, competitive or other advantage. Depending on the nature, a violation can come with a financial punishment or constraints put on recruiting if it involves a prospective student-athlete.
Clemson’s rowing team had the second most violations with four, followed by men’s soccer, men’s golf and women’s basketball with two. Men’s basketball, men’s tennis, men’s track and field, women’s golf, the cross country program and Clemson’s creative media team each had one violation.
No names of student-athletes or coaches were included in the documents released to The State, and specific dates for the violations were among the information redacted in the school’s reporting of the records. The following is a full list of the infractions included in the report and penalties levied:
Football
(2021) The parent of a football student-athlete received two tickets to a suite from a representative of the institution’s athletics interest (booster) for a regular season football game on [redacted]. Institutional action: Compliance Services provided rules education to the SA, involved booster and the SA’s [redacted]. Additionally, Compliance Services sent education to all football SAs families through a weekly parent newsletter and sent rules education to all boosters and suite holders through two separate newsletters.
(2021) Current NFL head coach (HC) briefly, inadvertently, and unintentionally spoke with a 2022 prospective-student-athlete (PSA) over the phone during the school’s on-campus pro day. Institutional action: Institution will refrain from call the involved PSA for a period of two weeks. Rules education conducted with football staff.
(2021) Institution provided football (FB) prospective student-athlete (PSA) with mailed recruiting correspondence prior to the first permissible date for recruiting materials (i.e., Sept. 1 of junior year). Institutional action: Once legislatively permissible to send recruiting correspondence to FB PSAs (i.e., Sept. 1 of junior year), institution will refrain from any recruiting communication with involved PSA for a period of two weeks. Rules education conducted with FB staff.
(2020) A football graduate assistant coach (GA) publicly responded to a prospective student-athlete’s social media post. Institutional action: Rules education was provided to the entire football staff. Additionally, staff was prohibited from communicating with SA for a period of two consecutive weeks.
(2020) A current [redacted] student-athlete sold three complimentary admissions to a regular season home game. Institutional action: The head football coach and compliance staff conducted a rules education session regarding the sale of complimentary tickets with the entire football team. Additionally, he was not able to access game tickets for the remainder of the season.
Rowing
(2020) An assistant rowing coach (AC) mistakenly initiated electronic correspondence on two (2) occasions and initiated a telephone call on one (1) occasion with a prospective student-athlete (PSA) prior to the first permissible date. Institutional action: Precluded the coaching staff from all communication with the PSA for a period of six (6) weeks (three (3) separate two (2) week penalties) beginning the first permissible contact date [redacted]. Institution will also conduct rules education with the coaching staff.
(2021) Rowing student-athlete practiced prior to completing their NCAA drug testing consent form. Institutional action: Upon discovery, compliance informed coaching staff SA could no longer participate in countable athletically related activities (CARA) until the NCAA forms were completed. SA completed forms the following morning.
(2021) An assistant coach provided excess official visit automobile mileage reimbursement to three prospective student-athletes. Institutional action: Rules education was provided to the coaching staff. If the prospects attend the institution, they will need to repay the amount to a charitable organization prior to being certified for competition.
(2021) Women’s rowing student-athlete received impermissible access to the sideline area during a home football game from a former football student-athlete. Institutional action: Compliance sent out a reminder to both student-athletes and staff members that access to premium seating is an extra benefit and impermissible. Football was reminded about educating their former student-athletes about the exclusive use of sideline passes during games.
Men’s Soccer
(2020) Relying on inaccurate information regarding a prospect’s graduation year, the associate head coach called a prospect before it was permissible to contact him. Institutional action: Rules education was provided to the men’s soccer staff. Additionally, the men’s soccer staff is precluded from calling [redacted] for a two week period which begins with the first permissible date to contact him [redacted].
(2021) Men’s soccer SA received impermissible access to the premium seating area during a home football game. Institutional action: Compliance sent out a reminder to both student-athletes and staff members that access to premium seating is an extra benefit and impermissible. Compliance also shared this experience in the large football gameday operations meeting the following week and educated police, event security, ticketing, and development on the proper protocol on keeping SAs out of premium seating areas unless they they have purchased a ticket at face value.
Women’s Basketball
(2020) A women’s basketball student-athlete participated in an impermissible name, image and likeness activity. Institutional action: The compliance office provided rules education to student-athlete.
A coaching staff member provided a PSA photos taken during an unofficial visit prior to the first date for the PSA to receive electronic correspondence. Institutional action: Rules education was provided to the entire women’s basketball staff. The women’s basketball staff was notified to refrain from communicating with the PSA for a two week period (September 1-14). Additionally, the institution provided a rules education reminder to the entire athletics department to prevent future similar violations.
Men’s Golf
(2020) The associate men’s golf coach (AC) mistakenly initiated electronic correspondence on one occasion, sent general correspondence on one occasion and initiated a telephone call on one occasion with an international prospective student-athlete prior to the first permissible date. Institutional action: Institution has precluded the coaching staff from all communication with the PSA for a period of six weeks (three separate two week penalties) beginning the first permissible contact date [redacted]. Institution will also conduct rules education with the coaching staff.
(2021) In August of 2021, the head men’s golf coach (HC) provided impermissible transportation to a prospect during an unofficial visit. Institutional action: Rules education to HC and AC regarding transportation during unofficial and off-campus contacts, letter of admonishment, and restricted from taking prospects off-campus during unofficial visits for a 30-day period.
Men’s Track and Field
(2021) [redacted] track and field student-athletes took pillows from their hotel room while traveling for competition. Institutional action: The associate AD for compliance provided the information to the university’s Office of Community and Ethical Standards for them to complete their review of the incident.
Men’s Basketball
(2021) Institution’s assistant director of communications for men’s basketball posted a photo and comment to his personal Twitter account showing a current men’s basketball student-athlete (SA) involved in a voluntary athletically related activity (VARA). Institutional action: The post was immediately removed. Rules education was provided to the assistant director of communications and compliance services sent a reminder to all athletics staff regarding VARA and social media implications.
Men’s Tennis
(2020) Men’s tennis student-athletes had a team meeting (which is considered a Required Athletically Related Activity) scheduled on what was a required day off. Institutional action: Letter of admonishment was provided to the head and assistant coaches for their role. The men’s tennis program was required to take an additional required day off during a week during the fall 2021 semester. Rules education was provided to the entire coaching staff regarding CARA, RARA, days off legislation, policy on adequate notice of changes, and the importance of properly logging all meetings and workouts on the team calendar.
Women’s Golf
(2021) A women’s golf assistant coach sent a text message to current student-athletes at her previous institution who were not in the NCAA transfer portal. Institutional action: Rules education was provided to the assistant coach. The [reacted] student-athletes will never be eligible at Clemson even if they enter the transfer portal. In addition, the compliance staff has added this information to our new coaches orientation in hopes this does not occur.
Cross Country
(2021) [reacted] cross country student-athletes participated in CARA during the “one week prior to finals” period. Institutional action: Rules education was provided to the cross country coach. CARA were to be reduced by 5 hours (2-for-1 penalty) during the next permissible week to conduct countable activities in the spring semester.
Creative Media
(2021) Institution’s assistant athletic director of creative media posted a photo and comment on Clemson football’s official Instagram account showing a current football SA involved in a Voluntary Athletically Related Activity (VARA). Institutional action: The post was immediately removed. Rules education was provided to the assistant athletic director of creative media and compliance services sent a reminder to all athletics staff regarding VARA and social media implications
This story was originally published March 14, 2022 at 1:57 PM.
