NCAA penalizes Georgia Tech with a fine and three years probation

The NCAA released a report on “involving rules violations within Georgia Tech’s women’s basketball program that occurred from the 2016-17 academic year through February 2019.” The decision on violations came from the organization’s Division I Committee on Infractions (COI).

The violations occurred during the tenure of former head coach MaChelle Joseph who committed Level II violations for exceeding daily and weekly time limitations for countable athletics activities of student-athletes.

The text of the decision is below:

The COI determined the violations to be Level II-standard for Georgia Tech. Penalties prescribed for Georgia Tech are:

• three years of probation;
• a fine of $5,000 (which was already self-imposed by Georgia Tech) plus 1% of the budget for the women’s basketball program;

Additionally, a comprehensive compliance review of Georgia Tech’s athletics department will be conducted by an outside agency with athletics compliance expertise.

The prescribed penalties are in addition to the following measures that were self-imposed by Georgia Tech:

• the aforementioned $5,000 fine;
• a reduction in countable athletically related activities (CARA) as follows:
  • Spring 2020 – reduced CARA by one hour per week (three hours total before Covid-19 shutdown)
  • Summer 2020 – reduced CARA by one hour per week (36 hours total)
  • Fall 2020 – reduced CARA by one hour per week (11 hours total)
  • Spring 2021 – reduced CARA by two hours per week (16 hours total)

It was noted in the COI’s report that Georgia Tech demonstrated exemplary cooperation during the NCAA enforcement staff’s investigation.

“We remain pleased that the Committee on Infractions did not find any institutional violations in this matter,” Georgia Tech director of athletics Todd Stansbury said. “While we do not necessarily agree with all of the conclusions that the Committee came to, we are pleased that this case has come to a resolution and that our current student-athletes and coaching staff can move on knowing that they will not have to serve any punishment for infractions that they had no part in and have not provided them with any competitive advantage.”

“I’d like to thank Georgia Tech President Dr. Ángel Cabrera and our legal and compliance teams for all that they have done to support our student-athletes and staff throughout this process,” Stansbury continued. “All of us at Georgia Tech are grateful to have this matter behind us and look forward to another great season for Coach (Nell) Fortner and her outstanding student-athletes.”