CAL STATE FULLERTON NOTES : School Reports Minor NCAA Violation

Cal State Fullerton reported one minor NCAA violation in its men’s basketball program to the Big West Conference several weeks ago, Athletic Director Bill Shumard said Friday.

The Titans held three team practices before the NCAA’s official Oct. 29 start date while a student-manager was in the gymnasium. According to NCAA rules, there can be no organized practices before the official start date.

“We have self-reported the issue to our conference office with our suggested self-imposed sanctions and we are awaiting a response,” Shumard said. “We take any potential violation seriously. We look at it thoroughly and report it.”

Dennis Farrell, Big West Commissioner, said he considers the violation to be minor.

“I don’t think there is anything of major importance--that’s the only thing I can say at this point,” Farrell said. “There were no coaches involved--that’s what makes it minor.”

Fullerton has suggested eliminating three practices this winter to make up for the three it held before the Oct. 29 start date.

“I can’t speculate as to what my conference committee will do, but in the past, it’s usually an eye for an eye,” Farrell said. “If someone holds two or three improper practices, you end up docking a team a like number of practices during the season.”

Farrell said he expects the matter to be settled between the conference and Fullerton, and he doesn’t expect the NCAA to investigate.

“When they review (matters like this), 99.999% of the time they accept what the conference has done,” Farrell said.

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Marci White, the starting third baseman for the last two seasons on the Cal State Fullerton softball team, was declared academically ineligible on Friday and will miss the entire 1994 season.

White, a junior from Long Beach Millikan, twice has been selected to the All-West Region second team and as a freshman, she was selected to the All-Big West Conference team. She batted .308 last season.

“We will move Laurie LoForti from second base to third and play Monica Bagalayos (a Delta Community College transfer) at second,” Coach Judi Garman said. “Laurie is an excellent third baseman but we will lose a little offensively.”