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Mentoring Program Led to NCAA Violation

By Darrick Ignasiak
Black College Wire

A&T Register James Dunwoody coached North Carolina A&T's men's tennis team.

"We were guilty of a violation," the associate athletics director, Wheeler Brown, said. "There was a violation because the athletic director did not approve of it."

He said the university faced no penalty for the violation. Stacey Osburn, associate director for public and media relations for the NCAA, declined to comment.

Dunwoody, who coached the men's and women's teams, had players teaching lessons to young tennis players.

NCAA bylaws state that if an institution provides a prospective student athlete any financial assistance or other benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective students generally, the program is in violation.

Moreover, according to the NCAA, a prospective student athlete is defined as one who has started classes for the ninth grade, which would exclude 14- and 15 year-olds.

Initially, Dunwoody said the youths were 4 to 15. He later amended that statement, saying they were 4 to 12.

Brown and Athletics Director Dee Todd, who became athletics director on May 4, 2005, said they were unaware that the program was in existence.

Dunwoody was using the program as a voluntary program for players on his team.

Brown said he received the results in early November.

The program was under Dunwoody's guidance for four years. After finding out about the program, Brown launched an investigation.

Dunwoody's tenure came to an end on Aug. 21.

Dunwoody guided the Aggies to a fourth place finish in the MEAC. When hired in 1998, A&T was 11th in conference.

The men's program was cut on July 12 to save the athletics department $52,700 this year.

Former men's tennis players are still trying to get the team back.

But Todd said, "Our financial situation is worse than when we dropped the tennis program. It's strictly a business decision."

In September, Dunwoody said A&T owed him two months of pay. Todd said Dunwoody has been paid.

Todd said she would not want to give new coach Andy Smith another program.

Darrick Ignasiak, a student at North Carolina A&T State University, is sports editor of the A&T Register.

Posted Dec. 11, 2006