SPORTS

UWSP men's basketball coach suspended for season

Scott A. Williams

USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

STEVENS POINT - The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point's men’s's basketball coach Bob Semling has been suspended suspended for the remainder of 2016-17 this season over what the NCAA has termed "major" rules violations committed from 2011-12 through 2015-16.

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Athletic Director Brad Duckworth announced the suspension at a press conference Thursday at the Health Enhancement Center attended by some UWSP athletic department officials.

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Kent Dernbach has been named interim head coach for the rest of the 2016-2017 season following an impromptu closed-door press conference at the Heath Enhancement Center on the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point campus, January 5, 2017.

In addition, the university imposed a ban on participation by the men's basketball team in postseason play in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and NCAA for this season as a result of an ongoing NCAA investigation.

"As an institution, we feel that it is imperative to take swift and immediate action in response to what we have been informed by the NCAA are major allegations regarding our men's basketball program," said Duckworth in a statement.

The NCAA notified UWSP within the past couple weeks the alleged violations had been determined to be major in nature as opposed to secondary.

An internal investigation was launched in April in response to an NCAA request after an anonymous complaint accused the program of starting team practices before Oct. 15, 2015, the official start date set by NCAA rules.

The practice infractions at UWSP initially came to the attention of the NCAA and subsequently the university in a letter signed by "concerned students" in the fall of 2015. The contents of the complaints and the results of the university's investigation came to light after USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin filed a series of open records requests and reported on the case in June.

UWSP found what the university called "minor" or secondary rules transgressions after it confirmed Semling and the coaching staff oversaw team practices before Oct. 15 last season. In addition, the men's basketball program was found to have limited access by the general student body to Quandt Fieldhouse.

In a letter to the NCAA obtained by USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin via an open records request, UWSP announced several self-imposed penalties, including the cancellation of the opening day of practice Oct. 15 this season, and the loss of one additional practice day in each of the next two weeks.

University officials sent their findings and response to the NCAA in June and the collegiate athletic governing body declined those sanctions and informed UWSP that it would investigate the matter further. NCAA representatives arrived on campus in September to conduct more interviews.

Duckworth declined to comment further on the specifics of the investigation, citing NCAA confidentiality rules.

Semling has been suspended with pay for the rest of the season. Associate head coach Kent Dernbach will serve as the interim coach for the final 13 games of the season.

"I accept this challenge to uphold the tradition we have at UW-Stevens Point," Dernbach said. "We take pride in the work ethic and integrity of our players on and off the court. We will be resilient and I am confident this team will continue to make our fans, alumni, boosters and parents proud that we are all Pointers."

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point athletic director Brad Duckworth responds to inquiry during an impromptu closed-door press conference at the Heath Enhancement Center on the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point campus, Jan. 5, 2017.

At this point, Duckworth said he does not expect that wins or championships during previous seasons will be vacated.

The Thomas More (Kent.) College women's basketball program recently was forced to vacate its 2015 Division III national championship when a player on that team was found to have received impermissable financial benefits from an assistant coach, including free housing.

Semling, who led the Pointers to Division III national championships in 2010 and 2015, has a 262-71 career record in 11-plus seasons. The Pointers are 6-5 overall this season and 0-1 in the WIAC heading into a road date with UW-La Crosse on Saturday.

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and men's basketball coach Bob Semling are still awaiting a response from the NCAA into rules violations in the program.

Scott A. Williams can be reached at 715-345-2282, or by email at ssswilliam@stevenspoint.gannett.com. Find him on Twitter as @SPJScottWill

NCAA allegations of major rules violations by the UW-Stevens Point men's basketball program

1. It is alleged that during the 2011-12 through 2015-16 academic years the men's basketball staff impermissably directed, observed and engaged men's basketball student-athletes in athletically related activities outside the institution's declared playing and practice season.

2. It is alleged that in the spring semesters in 2012 through 2015 academic years, the men's basketball coaching staff impermissably observed approximately 16 men's basketball prospective student-athletes as they participated with current men's basketball student-athletes in activities detailed in allegation No. 1.

3. It is alleged during the 2012 through 2016 academic years, UWSP head coach Bob Semling demonstrated that he did not promote an atmosphere for compliance in the men's basketball program due to his personal involvement in the alleged violations.

4. It is alleged that during the 2011-12 academic year and 2015 the scope and nature of the violations detailed in allegations No. 1 and No. 2 demonstrate the institution violated the principle of rules compliance when it failed to adequately monitor the men's basketball program's compliance with NCAA playing and practice season and tryout legislation.