COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) South Carolina's athletic department reported seven NCAA violations, none involving the football, men's basketball or baseball teams, during the second half of 2004.<br>
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The violations included an academic adviser giving two free football tickets to the mother of an equestrian team prospect who came on the unofficial recruiting visit instead of authorizing game admission through a pass list, and a coach giving two women's basketball players sneakers to wear while competing for a foreign national team over the summer.<br>
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When the coach, whose name was not in the report, learned of the violation, the players were contacted and the shoes were returned unworn.<br>
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Other self-reported violations were calling a soccer prospect outside of the allowed time period; calling a swimming prospect outside of the allowed time period; letting a golfer compete while ineligible during the 2003-04 season; and sending a financial-aid renewal letter to a swimming/diving prospect after the deadline of July 1.<br>
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Also, a violation occurred when the school's sports information office put an interview with a track-and-field prospect on the Gamecocks'' Web site in June after it was announced the athlete had signed with South Carolina. The school said that as of this past August, such a practice would not be in violation of NCAA rules.<br>
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South Carolina releases its self-reported violations, deemed secondary in nature, in response from media requests under the Freedom of Information Act.<br>
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All the violations, according to the athletic department, were classified as Level 2 secondary violations under NCAA guidelines and were reported to the Southeastern Conference, the school said. The conference then sends all of the year's violations to the NCAA.<br>
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The more serious Level 1 violations must be reported to the NCAA Enforcement office, the school said.<br>
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(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
