PROVO — Brigham Young University officials have finalized the punishments of four football players and cleared two others in connection with allegations of sexual assault and drinking at an off-campus party in August.

Two freshmen were suspended for one year, another was placed on probation and the fourth was given a warning after all appeals were dropped, BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins said.

Three other cases remain under review.

The Deseret Morning News first reported on Oct. 21 that BYU had decided to discipline return specialist B.J. Mathis, linebacker William Turner Jr. and defensive backs Karland Bennett and Ibrahim Rashada. However, some of the players appealed the decisions, delaying a final resolution.

Jenkins would not confirm the names or match the players with the punishments.

This is, however, the first time BYU confirmed the number of players under review by the Honor Code Office in connection with claims made by a 17-year-old Salt Lake area girl that she drank vodka with a large group of men and was sexually assaulted on Aug. 8 at the University Villa apartment of Mathis and Bennett.

The girl said she watched pornographic videos with the men and was raped by more than one after she passed out in a bedroom.

BYU students agree when they apply to school not to break the law, drink alcohol, view pornography or engage in premarital or extramarital sex.

"An exhaustive Honor Code review involving nine students, all members of the BYU football team, has partially concluded," Jenkins said. "The review at this point has resulted in two suspensions, one probation and one warning."

The suspensions are for one year.

"The suspensions in this case may not be reviewed until fall 2005, meaning the earliest the students could return is winter 2006," Jenkins said.

The appeals process lasted nearly a month, an unusually long time.

"Some of the students involved appealed their decision," Jenkins said. "However, after initiating the appeal process, some of the students left the state, making it difficult to proceed. They have withdrawn their appeals, bringing closure to the review."

Calls to athletic department officials Friday night were not immediately returned.

A criminal investigation into the rape allegation continued Friday. No charges have been filed.

Provo police searched the players' apartment just west of campus on Aug. 10. They seized a washcloth, bed sheets, condoms and a pornographic movie.

Detectives turned the case over to the Utah County Attorney's Office on Aug. 31, but prosecutors sent it back for further investigation.

Police obtained a search warrant Oct. 4 to take blood samples from four players, but a 4th District Court judge sealed court documents relating to results of tests on the samples.

Late last month, prosecutors subpoenaed the records of BYU's Honor Code review. BYU officials complied with the subpoena and turned over the records, Jenkins said.

Bennett, 19, and Mathis, 18, are from Dallas.

Rashada, 18, is from Augusta, Ga. Turner, 18, is from Daly City, Calif.

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E-mail: twalch@desnews.com