Temple Placed on NCAA Probation

The Temple athletic department has been placed on NCAA probation, thanks to the unethical conduct of former tennis coach Bill Hoehne, who purposely used an ineligible player during the 2004-05 campaign. The Owls were also penalized for administrative failures that permitted five ineligible players to see game action between 2004 and 2006, and a book-buying scheme involving 36 student-athletes.

The Temple University athletic department has been placed on probation for the next two years, the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions announced on Thursday.

The penalty stems from major violations committed by former Owls tennis coach Bill Hoehne and secondary violations involving mistakes in determining student-athlete eligibility and improper textbook purchases by 36 student-athletes.

Hoehne was fired on April 12, 2005, after it was discovered that he purposely used an ineligible player during the 2004-05 campaign. The player was entered into matches using the name of a former team member.

In a press release, the NCAA detailed the extent of Hoehne's cheating, and announced that he won't be permitted to coach in the NCAA for the next seven years unless he receives approval from a review committee.

In addition to Hoehne's misdeeds, the NCAA described a series of administrative failures within the Temple athletic department that resulted in four ineligible student-athletes playing for the Owls between 2004 and 2006. Two of the ineligible student-athletes played for the football team, one for the baseball team, and another for the men's soccer team. Another student-athlete was permitted to compete for the women's cross country team before her eligibility status had been properly determined.

The other violation involved 36 student-athletes using scholarship vouchers to purchase books that they weren't entitled to. Presumably, they sold these books for a profit, though the NCAA press release did not provide further details.

Temple was cited for failing to monitor its student-athlete textbook program.

None of the student-athletes were given specific penalties by the NCAA. Their identities were also not released.

Temple's two-year probation period begins immediately and runs until May 9, 2009. The men's tennis team was hit with a postseason ban and additional scheduling restrictions for the 2007-08 campaign. The athletic department was given a list of reporting duties to the NCAA.

The Owls will not be hit with severe penalties unless one of their programs commits a major infraction or a series of secondary infractions during the probationary period.