BYU volleyball team hit by NCAA sanctions

PROVO — The NCAA concluded its 18-month investigation of the BYU men's volleyball program with its Division I Committee on Infractions announcing Tuesday the finding of "major and secondary violations" and leveling a series of sanctions against the Cougar team, including a public reprimand and three years probation.

BYU's most decorated men's sports program — three NCAA championships in the last decade and a current No. 1 national ranking — becomes the university's first to receive NCAA-mandated sanctions.

The committee cited former BYU head volleyball coach Tom Peterson and the university's compliance office for failing to monitor possible violations of prospective recruits living in or visiting Provo before enrollment.

"Essentially, the university and I were accused of failing to monitor the program for NCAA rules compliance. I deny that accusation," said Peterson in a statement released through his attorney, M. Steven Andersen.

The committee also singled out two defected Cuban National Volleyball Team players — including former BYU All-American Yosleyder Cala, who now is playing professionally in Greece — as receiving provisions and inducements provided by individuals deemed to be "representatives" of BYU's athletic interests.

In an era of in high-end cars, cash-stuffed envelopes and other inducements, BYU's violations and offending "representatives" include a player's mother paying for an English proficiency course for the Cuban-born Cala; Cougar players helping to house, feed and transport him prior to his BYU enrollment; and a Canadian booster employing Cala at two dollars above what the NCAA deemed an appropriate hourly pay rate, providing assistance in preparing for SAT and ACT exams and paying travel costs to attend a volleyball match.

The most serious situation — in terms of in monetary value — only indirectly affects BYU.

The same booster helping Cala also provided an estimated $13,000 in inducements — including $8,000 in legal fees for immigration issues, as well as use of a car, clothing and lodging — for Cala's friend and former Cuban teammate, who never enrolled at BYU or another NCAA institution and wasn't ever considered a viable BYU recruit.

"All of the allegations that the NCAA chose to pursue stemmed from humanitarian concern for others, and the actions were inadvertent," said Peterson. "No one was trying to circumvent rules, and none of the violations gave BYU an unfair recruiting advantage."