NCAA Announces Infractions Toward 3 Ohio State Athletic Programs

Three Ohio State Buckeyes athletic programs have been handed out infractions by the NCAA. The Ohio State Women’s Basketball team, women’s golf, and fencing have all been hit with penalties.

In a press release, the school stated the violations occurred between 2015 and 2019. As a result, the athletic programs have been placed on four years probation and fined $5,000.

According to the press release, Ohio State initially self-reported violations within the fencing program in August 2018. Also, Ohio State had self-imposed postseason competition bans for each of the involved sports for the 2020-21 year.

Below are the violations, according to the press release:

• Ineligible participation as a result of multiple recruiting and extra benefit violations in women’s basketball and fencing.
• the fencing program exceeding its maximum allowable countable coaches
• a countable athletically related activities violation for women’s golf and women’s basketball.
• a head coach responsibility violation and ethical conduct violation for the former head fencing coach.
• a head coach responsibility violation for the former director of golf.

The press release states that a result of these infractions, wins and titles from those seasons will be vacated along with other penalties that include:

• Women’s basketball Big Ten Championships in 2017 and 2018
• 2018 Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship
• Women’s NCAA Tournament appearances in 2017 and 2018
• 2019 Women’s NIT appearance
• 52 basketball wins
• Midwest Fencing Conference championships in 2016, 2017, and 2018
• NCAA Fencing Championship runner-up finishes in 2016 and 2017
• NCAA Fencing Championship third-place finish in 2018
• 3% budget reduction in 2022-23 for the fencing program and 1% reductions for women’s golf and women’s basketball
• Scholarship and recruiting restrictions for the fencing program

Ohio State’s four-year probation will end on April 18th, 2026.