Alabama golf teams cited in NCAA report; placed on probation

The Alabama men's and women's golf programs were among 16 different sports teams at the Tuscaloosa, Ala., school that the NCAA put on three years' probation June 11 for major violations due to the misuse of free textbooks. The NCAA report noted 201 athletes obtained "impermissible benefits" by using their scholarships to obtain free textbooks for other students. In the majority of cases, the impermissible benefits were less than $100 and in some instances the student-athletes were unaware of any potential rules violation being committed. (To see a PDF version of the NCAA report, click here.)

The NCAA specifically noted that 22 student-athletes--none of them golfers--were, however, found to have committed "willful and intentional violations." These student-athletes competed on the Crimson Tide football, men's tennis and men's and women's track teams, and those teams will be forced to vacate any wins in which the student-athletes participated. (The football team will be forced to give up 21 wins from the 2005-06 to the 2007-08 seasons.)

The school also has been fined $43,900.

No specific golfers were named in the report and the NCAA accessed no other penalties to either of the golf teams. Also no coach was identified as having been involved in the matter or had knowledge that it was going on.