The Hawaii athletic department could receive a reprimand and/or financial penalty from the Western Athletic Conference after a hearing yesterday regarding player eligibility for last December's Hawaii Bowl. WAC may penalize
UH for noncomplianceBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comThe outcome of the hour-long teleconference involving league athletic directors, faculty representatives and other officials was not known yesterday afternoon. WAC commissioner Karl Benson and UH officials said an announcement will be made at a future date.
"It was established early on that Hawaii did not comply with WAC rules prior to the bowl game and it is subject to the council's actions," Benson said. "But I can't elaborate further at this time."
The rule in question requires players to earn six credits in the fall to be eligible for bowl-game participation. Hawaii did not comply because school officials determined there was not enough time to do so between the end of the semester on Dec. 20 and the game on Dec. 25.
Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier said according to WAC rules he cannot comment on the issue, other than to confirm the hearing was held.
In the weeks leading up to the game, Frazier and coach June Jones acknowledged there was a logistical problem with certifying the players. None of the UH players were academically ineligible, they said.
Fresno State and Boise State, WAC teams that played in Dec. 31 bowl games, did certify their players. The Bulldogs ended up holding out some players who did not qualify.
At the time, Benson said the matter would be investigated, and UH could face unspecified sanctions for not complying with the rule. Yesterday's hearing was one of the first steps in determining if UH will be penalized. There is also a 30-day window for an appeal after any sanctions are determined.
The same situation could arise if the Warriors play in next season's Hawaii Bowl. The certification rule will likely be adjusted at the WAC meetings in April.
UH Athletics
