Red Tape, Rules & Regulations

Earlier it was announced (clearly unfortunate to report) that from our conference the University Of New Mexico has been placed on three years probation from the NCAA for academic fraud during the spring/fall semester 2004-5. In that time period three coaching staff members (two of which are no longer affiliated with the University) apparently aided four prospective student athletes and one student athlete to enroll and obtain improper course credit via Fresno Pacific University. Fresno Pacific has been also involved in major infractions regarding Long Beach State and University of Louisiana Lafayette according to NCAA officials and would caution other institutional involvement for academic credit/athletics eligibility purposes without proper due diligence. Lenny Rodriguez and Grady Stretz were on staff during that time period. Stretz is now at Arizona State as a defensive line coach while Rodriguez is now an assistant at Mount San Antonio College. Lenny did address the committee's report at a hearing back in April.
According to Josephine Potuto (chair of the infractions committee and law professor at the University Of Nebraska) "those individuals never got the course material and nonetheless still got credit". In consequence through 2009 Stretz is prohibited from on or off campus recruiting activites including via telephone. Grady must now submit a report to the NCAA every six months. The NCAA will limit the max schollies from 25 down to 20. Also the Lobo's now only can recruit four JC players (non qualifiers out of high school) from originally 9. Keep in mind what we hear and what actually transpired are completely different things. There may be more to the story. Yet there could also be less. Regardless of what transpired, we should hope that all those involved will make amends to the best of their ability, stay on track and provide honest clean straight up competition!