Courtesy of Bluefield State College
The NCAA Division II Committee on Infractions announced today that Bluefield State College had failed to monitor the student-athlete certification process. This announcement follows Bluefield State College’s discovery and self-reporting of infractions to the NCAA, and BSC’s cooperation with the NCAA throughout the process. The NCAA Committee on Infractions recognized BSC’s swift action to reorganize its compliance department and proactively secure an outside entity to conduct a compliance audit.
Within the first academic year of President Capehart’s appointment as interim president of Bluefield State College, the institution’s then-Athletics Director was reassigned, and the then-Assistant Director of Athletics for Compliance left the College soon after meeting with BSC officials.
“On May 2020, shortly after Derrick Price had been appointed interim Director of Athletics, he informed me he had discovered a failure by the prior Athletic Department administration to file numerous compliance documents required by the NCAA,” President Capehart stated. “I determined at that point to self-report those and any subsequently discovered violations to the NCAA.”
At the same time the previously mentioned personnel changes were occurring in the Department of Athletics, the College launched a strategic initiative to ensure that written policies and procedures would be in place throughout the institution. This initiative included Athletics.
“With our discovery of these violations, which primarily involved the filing of compliance documents and lack of personnel within the Department of Athletics, we reported the violations to the NCAA,” the BSC President added. “We have cooperated fully the NCAA and have developed and implemented compliance practices that are standard among Division II institutions. The personnel responsible for the violations are no longer employed at Bluefield State College.”
“With the addition of several new intercollegiate sports programs and the creation of additional athletics facilities, there’s a new vibrancy on our campus and within our programs,” he continued. “Nevertheless, the Institution understands that along with such enthusiasm, it has a responsibility to ensure it complies with NCAA regulations. Recent changes in systems and personnel will greatly reduce the likelihood that similar issues will take place in the future.”
