The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association yesterday announced sanctions against Bowie State for the second time in three years.
With the exception of women's basketball, the university used ineligible student-athletes on all of its other teams in 1989-90, the CIAA said. CIAA commissioner Leon Kerry levied penalties against Bowie State last June, but the university appealed those penalties. Yesterday Kerry announced that those sanctions would be upheld.
As a result, Bowie State will forfeit all of its victories from the 1989-90 year, including the only CIAA football championship in the school's history. The Bulldogs' vacated title will go to Winston-Salem, the team it beat in the 1989 championship game. All CIAA awards from that year must also be returned.
In addition, Bowie State teams with the exception of women's basketball will be placed on probation for one year, although men's basketball will be allowed to participate in the 1992 CIAA tournament. The university will be fined $500 for each sport found in violation of CIAA regulations.
Bowie State spokesman Millree Williams, who said that the infractions were committed "because of administrative oversights," said the fine would be $3,500.
In announcing the sanctions, Kerry noted that "since the internal audit and review at Bowie State uncovered the various CIAA violations, Bowie State has fully implemented measures to improve tracking and controls over student-athletes' eligibility."