NCAA Issues Verdict In Ascot State Case

from the Allied Press

Nearly 11 months after NCAA officials discovered that the Ascot State baseball team had been playing atop what is now known to be a 13th Century Native American burial mound, the committee on infractions finally issued their findings. According to the report, ASU officials were unaware of the situation until it was discovered by an official sent by the NCAA Division 4 headquarters to investigate accusations that the pitcher's mound was above regulation height. Immediately following the uncovering of the burial site, the Navajos were ordered to make other accommodations for all remaining home games, resulting in the completion of the Prescott Regional, part of the 2008 Division 4 baseball tournament, on a partially paved practice field.

Despite being unaware of the burial mound situation, the NCAA report still sites "major infractions" concerning the illegal height of the pitcher's mound. "Ascot State officials should have been aware that the pitcher's mound was above regulation, and thus have corrected the problem. Instead, they decided to ignore the fact and subsequently continued to participate on a field that provided an unequal opportunity to compete." The report goes on to mention that, "...the issue of the uncovered burial mound is only of secondary concern."

In addition to the findings, the report also recommended a series of aggressive penalties for the infractions. The most notable of these is the potential loss of the 2004 and 2006 national championships which Ascot State currently shares with Cabrillo College and Thomasville Tech, respectively. Other possible penalties include scholarship reductions (from 1 to 0.5) and one year probation. Under probation, Ascot State would not be able to compete in the postseason baseball tournament (effective immediately) but would still be eligible to be selected for a co-national championship. There is also the potential that the case could be used to reopen the mascot issue, in which case the NCAA may mandate a change from the current Navajos nickname. Both the Neckerchiefs and the 'Jos are current pseudonyms for the school's athletic program.

Regardless of the final decision on reprimands, the Navajos will no longer be playing their home games on the former Yavapai Field. Instead, the school has erected semi-permanent stands on the paved practice field, which will be officially named 'Yavapai Memorial Field Lot' this Friday in a naming ceremony. The school says that the former field will still be used as the practice field, just with pitchers being required to participate in a ceremonial dance before ascending the mound.