The NCAA handed down penalties to Florida Gulf Coast University after finding several violations in its athletic programs, mainly involving men's tennis misconduct.
Davidson Kozlowski, the former tennis coach, broke rules by contacting eight transfer prospects without getting proper clearance. He also gave out improper benefits - cars, hotel stays, and competition fees - during a 10-month period ending in May 2024.
The university must pay a $25,000 fine and give up certain wins. Their men's tennis recruiting will be suspended for two weeks in early 2025.
"We've already begun to move past that or the university was already starting to move past that before I even got here," said Athletic Director Colin Hargis to Fox 4 News.
Officials found certification errors affecting 18 athletes across different sports over almost two years. Three teams - men's basketball and both tennis programs - will have their records adjusted.
"It involves a variety of things academic certification, NCAA amateur certification, there's even a sports medicine certification," Hargis said.
Working closely with NCAA officials for more than a year helped reduce the punishment. What could have been major violations were classified as Level II infractions.
The staff members responsible for the paperwork errors have since left the school. New procedures are now in place to prevent similar issues.
Hargis emphasized that current athletes wouldn't be affected: "There's no forward-facing penalties for the men's tennis program or any other program or our student-athletes," he said.
Under Kozlowski's leadership, the tennis program broke rules by conducting unauthorized practice with potential recruits.
The school's new monitoring system now spots certification problems quickly, protecting student-athletes before issues escalate.
