ational Collegiate Athletic Association Move to restrict freshmen from varsity sports grows By Michael-V. Earle The NCAA News Staff Support for prohibiting freshmen from playmg varsity football and bas- ketball, particularly at Division 1 insti- tutions, appears to be growing, and legislation probably will be proposed at the next NCAA Convention to make freshmen ineligible for competition at that level. Proponents of abolishing freshman athletic eligibility contend that it would enable studenttathletes to devote more time to their studies and get them off to a good start toward obtaining a college degree. Thus far, most supporters arc in favor of barring freshmen from playing only Division I varsity football and basketball-sports that are deemed by many to put too much pressure on young student-ath- letcs. “1 think it is very unfair to ask a Joseph V. Paterno Charles McClendon freshman to come in and compete with the varsity in football and basketball,” guarantee the student-athlete an ath- “We say student-athletes are stu- Joseph V. Patemo, football coach at letic grant for five years. dents first, athletes second. Let’s show Pennsylvania State University, re- According to Edward 1‘. Foote II, it.” cently told the Senate Judiciary Com- president of the University of Miami Samuel L. Myers, president of the mittee during testimony regarding the (Florida), and a member of the ACE NAFEO, said eliminating freshman signing of underclassmen by profes- prcsidcnts committee, there is a great eligibility is gaining support among sional football franchises. “We will deal of interest by some committee black collcgc presidents and other try to get the rule changed in January. members in abolishing freshman eligi- groups associated with intercollegiate That is a legitimate criticism of the bility. athletics that oppose the new academic NCAA,” Patemo said. “I personally am very much in favor standards. Several college presidents, espe- of it,” Foote said. “Nothing we r~~~1c-l “Three may be some problems that cially presidents of black universities do would be quite so dramatic or bene- would have to be worked out, but from and colleges, have spoken out in favor ficial as abolishing freshman eligibil- an educational point of view, it would of prohibiting freshman athletic eligi- ity. St-c Move, page I2 bility. Barring freshmen athletes from playing is one of the alternatives the National Association for Equal Oppor- tunity m Higher Education (NAFEO) CEO meetings slated is expected to propose as an alternative to the recently adopted rule on aca- demic requirements. The NAFEO is for September 19-20 scheduled to meet with a panel from a 37-member committee of college The fourth annual NCAA-sponsored meetings of institutional chief presidents sponsored by the American cxccutivc officers have been scheduled September 19-20. 1983. at the Council on Education. Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. The ACE committee, which pro- Those dates arc one week carlicr than usual and were approved by the posed and was the driving force bchmd NCAA Administrative Committee in order to secure the desired hotel the new academic requirements facilities. adopted by the NCAA, has organized The annual CEO meetings, including scparatc scsrions for those from itself into five subcommittees, one of Divisions I, II and III. arc intcndcd as a discussion forum and educational which ~111 meet with a special com- program in which CEOs can review maJor policy areas in college athletics. mittee of the NAFEO, an association The three division steering committees will plan the rcspcctivc division Phoro by Kerwin Plevku of I 14 black collcgcs and universities, CEO meetings, including the invitation procedures. when the NCAA Hoopla to discuss possible alternatives to the Council meets April 18-20. In previous meetings, each Division I and new standards. Michael Young (42) and Akeem Olujuwon gu up to block a shot by Division II allied votmg conference has been invited to send one chief One of the proposals submitted to executive. with proportionate representation for indcpcndcnt institutions. Villanova’s Harold Pressley during Midwest regionaljinal action the NAFEO special committee would The Division 111 Steering Committee in the past has sclcctrd the Division in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Chatnpionship in Kansas bar freshmen at Division I institutions 111 CEOs to attend the meetings. City, Missouri. Houston advanced to the Final Four with a victory. from competing in athletics and would Valvano gets initial Final Four coaching test Denny Crum is making his fifth trip sons, and he is going for his first cham- Smith has taken seven teams to the because three starters were graduate today, and Lewis is still going strong, to the Final Four in just I2 seasons at pionship. Final Four, winning one champion students and wouldn’t have been eligii just past his 6ls.t birthday, with 529 Louisville and is seeking his second Georgia’s Hugh Durham is making ship, in his 22 seasons as North Caro- ble for the tournament). victories, a second straight Fmal Four championship, the first coming in his second Final Four trip (the first in lina head coach. Smith, by the way, Wooden was a fantastic 21-3 in trip and a new contract. 1980. For Houston’s Guy Lewis. this 1972 at Florida State, finishing second has an amazing 7- 1 record in regional Final Four games, Rupp 9-2 and Smith “I’m not telling you or anyone else is his fourth Final Four trip in 27 sea- to UCLA), and his opponent in the championship games--Georgia gave 6-8. Crum is 3-4 and Lewis I-4. Lewis I’m a great coach,” said Lewis. “I Cinderella matchup, North Carolina him his first defeat. is one of just five coaches to make the don’t believe in that. But I am a com- In the News State’s Jim Valvano, is making his Rupp is second to Wooden n-i cham- Final Four four times. The others were petitor, I enjoy competing, and I feel first. pionships with four. and he made the Henry Iba, Fred Taylor, Harold Olson like 1 can do that with the best of them. West Virginia athletic department has Let’s take a close look at Crum’s Final Four six times in 4 1 years of head and Jack Gardner. Sincerely, I don’t think 1 need any pub- come a long way financially .2 five-for- 12 Only three coaches in col- coaching at Kentucky. But remember, Valvano is the 104th coach in Final hcity. I like to see my players get it. lege basketball history have made there was no NCAA toumamcnt his Four history out of 370 who have made Winning is its own reward. Every Florida wins its first Division I Men’s more Final Four finishes than Crum- first eight seasons. Hc went to the the NCAA toumamcnt at least once in coach has an ego, but I’m not titer- Swimming Championships. .5 John Wooden, Dean Smith and National Invitation Tournament sev its 45-year history. He is one of only ested in becoming a television person- Wright State upsets District of Colum- Adolph Rupp-and only Wooden era1 times and, in 1953, a potential six who needed four victories to reach ality I don’t read most of the artic- bia in Division 11 Men’s Basketball (Crum’s college coach) approximates national-championship season, Ken- the Final Four. les written about me Anyone who Championship. .6 that ratio. Wooden made 12 Final Four tucky was under NCAA. suspension Not long ago, a national sports mag- says we are complete runand-gun has trips and won an incredible 10 champii got to be completely ignorant.” Nebraska favored in Division I Men’s and had no varsity schedule (the 1953 azine called Houston’s Guy Lewis one onships in 29 years as a head coach- Lewis’ east Texas roots are deep. Gymnastics Championships . .8 players went 25-O in 1954 but declined of the most overrated members of his 27 at UCLA. an NCAA tournament invitation profession. That publication is dead SeeVulvano, page 4 2 Mnrch30,1983 I The NCAA Comment West Virginia athletic department prospers By Bob Smizik versity he no longer needed any state funds. The $lOO.ooO that that we weren’t getting before. All of these things have made it Pittsburgh Press remained from the $150,000 state allocation for the 19X2-83 fiscal possible.” Times are hard everywhere these days, but thcrc arc few places year was turned back to the university. Schaus was able to do this The West Virginia athletic department budget is $6. I million, where they are any harder than in West Virginia. Few states have even though the allocation had been cut more than 5200,000 from of which $4.7 million comes from football and basketball reve- felt the crunch like West Virginia. It is called the Mountain State; the previous year. nues and $1.4 million through the Mountaineer Athletic Club. it should bc called the Hard Times State. Almost Heaven, it ain’t. Last month, Schaus did it again, turning over %lOO.OOO of the The state makes no direct contribution, a fact in wtuch Schaus Unemployment in West Virginia is at 17.8 pcrccnt. the highest football team’s share of Gator Bowl revenue to the general univer- takes great pride. in the nation. It has climbed almost eight point\ in the past year. sity fund. “Since last November. when WC turned back the $100,000, The nl,cdian per capita income is $6,174, which ranks 43rd m It was a dramatic turnaround for the athlctlc dcpartmcnt, all the we’ve become almost totally self-supportive.