Long Island University hit with 3-year NCAA probation for widespread eligibility violations

Long Island University has been placed on three years of probation by the NCAA after a sweeping investigation found the school allowed more than 1,000 student-athletes to compete or practice while ineligible, not properly certified or having not completed required NCAA forms.

The infractions case decision, approved May 4 by the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions, came one day after LIU’s softball team clinched its second consecutive Northeast Conference (NEC) regular season title — a championship that may now be subject to the penalties.

It also comes in wake of the LIU men’s basketball team’s NEC championship and its first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 2013.

In all, 35 LIU teams are affected by the violations and will have their wins and records vacated.

It’s unclear if the basketball and softball teams’ success this year will be vacated. It’s also not clear whether LIU’s football win over Eastern Michigan last fall, its first ever FBS win, will stand.

The investigation revealed that 240 student-athletes in 33 sports were improperly certified as eligible between the 2020-21 and 2023-24 academic years. Of those, 176 competed in games and received travel expenses while ineligible or not properly certified, according to the negotiated resolution.

An additional 658 student-athletes competed and 111 practiced without completing required NCAA forms, including student-athlete statements and drug-testing consent forms — bringing the total number of affected athletes to 1,009.

The NCAA classified the case as Level I-Mitigated — its most serious category — and determined LIU “failed to monitor” its eligibility certification process.

LIU President Kimberly Cline serves on the NCAA’s Infractions Process Committee, according to the organization’s 2024-25 report.

“Long Island University identified these eligibility certification matters through its compliance systems during a routine, university-wide review and promptly self-reported them to the NCAA,” an LIU spokesperson said.

The spokesperson noted that the issues occurred during a period of operational disruption amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The NCAA recognized the university’s collaborative approach throughout the review, and we worked closely with the NCAA while fully cooperating at every stage of the process,” the spokesperson said. “LIU maintains a strong, institution-wide culture of compliance. LIU’s current athletic compliance leadership and staff bring decades of Division I experience and are supported by comprehensive oversight systems.”

LIU’s administration is confident in its compliance structure and is “fully committed to operating with integrity and in full compliance with NCAA standards,” the spokesperson added.

Following the merger, a single compliance staff member was responsible for managing eligibility certification across all 35 sports, according to the NCAA’s report. The athletics department was split between the Brooklyn and Post campuses, creating what the investigation called “communications inefficiencies” between coaches and compliance staff about team rosters.

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LIU also lacked a formal process to verify initial eligibility certifications and had no system of checks and balances, with no university departments outside athletics involved in verifying student-athletes’ eligibility status.

The school self-reported the violations in July 2024 after detecting issues during the eligibility certification process for spring sports in fall 2023. The problems were discovered after the departure of previous compliance officers.

Recruiting restrictions: A two-week ban on all recruiting activities for each sport involved in violations during the first year of probation.

Vacating win-loss records: LIU must vacate all regular season and conference tournament wins, records and participation in which ineligible student-athletes competed. Sports affected include baseball, football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s golf, men’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, and women’s volleyball.

Individual records of ineligible student-athletes will also be vacated. Head coaches with vacated wins may not count them toward career victory milestones. Any NCAA trophies in affected sports must be returned.

Compliance requirements: Staff with eligibility certification responsibilities must attend NCAA Regional Rules Seminars during each year of probation. LIU must volunteer for at least one NCAA Academic Performance Program data review during the probationary period.

Mandated transparency: The school must inform all prospects in writing that the institution is on probation and detail the violations. LIU must also post information about the violations on the athletics department’s main website with a direct link titled “NCAA Infractions Case.”

Can still compete for championships

Moving forward, LIU athletics programs will still be able to compete for championships and appear on television during the probation period.

The NCAA credited LIU with “prompt acknowledgement and acceptance of responsibility” for the violations. The school has no prior major violations within the prior deacde, which the NCAA considered a mitigating factor.

The negotiated resolution was reviewed by a three-member Committee on Infractions panel: Norman Bay, an attorney in private practice and chief hearing officer; Jason Leonard, executive director of athletics compliance at Oklahoma; and Steve Waterfield, athletics director at Oakland University in suburban Detroit.

_{Top: LIU Brooklyn forward Shadrak Lasu reacts during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Georgia, Monday, Dec. 29, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)}

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