Alabama Releases Annual List of Minor NCAA Infractions

Crimson Tide self-reported 12 infractions during 2021-22 academic year, twice as many as the previous 12 months, but none by the football program.

In what's become a Fourth of July tradition for Crimson Tide reporters and media, the University of Alabama athletics department released its annual list of minor NCAA infractions from the previous year on Friday afternoon. 

Alabama committed 12 violations in six sports from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022, and included the steps it took to correct the problems and any self-imposed penalties. 

They included multiple Level 2 and 3 infractions by men’s basketball, track and field and soccer programs.

Football didn't report any violations. 

Alabama has made it a habit to announce its violations the first Friday of July, or the last business day before the July 4th holiday. 

It announces six minor violations last year, and six the previous year.  

That's down from, say, the 16 minor violations it reported for the 2018-19 year.

Alabama reported the following: 

1. Track & field

Date: July 30, 2021

Summary: Student-Athlete Enhancement staff member initiated a telephone call with a prospective student-athlete.

Corrective actions taken: 1. Rules education was provided to the Student-Athlete Enhancement staff. 2. The track and field program did not place phone calls to PSA for 14 days.

2. Men’s basketball

Date: Aug. 18, 2021

Summary: The institution hired an individual as a football strength and conditioning coach who triggered IAWP (individual associated with a prospective student-athlete) status for a prospective men's basketball student-athlete upon his full-time enrollment.

Corrective actions taken: 1. Declared the student-athlete ineligible and sought reinstatement.

3. Men’s basketball

Date: July 29, 2021

Summary: Media members attended a men’s basketball skill instruction session during the summer.

Corrective actions taken: 1. Rules education was provided to the men’s basketball staff and communications staff. 2. The institution requested the production company edit out the segment that showed the skill instruction. 3. A letter of admonishment was issued to athletics communications staff member. 4. A letter of admonishment was issued to men’s basketball operations staff member. 5. A letter of admonishment was issued to assistant men’s basketball coach. 6. The institution provided education to the men's basketball staff and communications staff regarding the applicable state law on name, image and likeness with a focus on the provision(s) related to legally permissible institutional involvement in such activities

4. Soccer

Date: July 19, 2021

Summary: A women’s soccer prospective student-athlete made an unofficial visit to campus prior to the first opportunity to visit.

Corrective actions taken: 1. Rules education was provided to the soccer staff. 2. A letter of admonishment was issued to head coach. 3. The on-campus contact counted as a recruiting opportunity for the 2021-22 academic year. 4. The soccer program counted the impermissible unofficial visit as a contact and reduced future contacts by 1 (2-for-1 penalty) for the 2021-22 academic year. 5. In-person contact (on or off campus) with the PSA was prohibited for 30 days following the first permissible date for in-person of-campus contact. 6. Volunteer assistant coach was not permitted to participate in on-campus recruiting activities for 10 days. 7. Head coach was not permitted to participate in any off-campus recruiting activities for the 30 days following the discovery of the violation. 8. The institution had no more than one additional off-campus contact with the PSA. 9. The PSA(s) is ineligible for intercollegiate competition at the institution until restored by the NCAA student-athlete reinstatement staff.

5. Men’s basketball 

Summary: Men’s basketball student-athlete participated in a celebrity charity 4x4 basketball tournament that was not an NCAA approved outside competition.

Corrective actions taken: 1. Rules Education was provided to the men’s basketball staff on outside competition. 2. The men’s basketball team received specific education on outside competition. 3. Outside competition requirements were covered in student-athlete compliance education meetings. 4. Student-athlete was declared ineligible, and The University of Alabama sought reinstatement. 5. The student-athlete was withheld from the first two regularly-scheduled men's basketball contests when student-athlete was next otherwise eligible to compete.

6. Track & field 

Date: Oct. 11, 2021

Summary: Two student-athletes were not provided a second required day off free from Required Athletically Related Activities during an out-of-season week.

Corrective actions taken: 1. Rules education was provided to the track and field staff. 2. Each student-athlete was given two additional days off (2-1 penalty). 3. Assistant coach was provided a letter of admonishment.

7. Track & field 

Date: Sept. 28, 2021

Summary: Track and field coaching staff issued (and received back) a National Letter of Intent for a student-athlete that was not permitted to sign one due to 4-4 transfer status.

Corrective actions taken: 1. Rules education was provided to the track and field staff. 2. Compliance staff declared the National Letter of Intent null and void.

8. Women’s basketball

Date: Oct. 12, 2021

Summary: Women's basketball coach mistakenly sent a text to a 2025 prospective student-athlete prior to the first permissible date to send recruiting materials.

Corrective actions taken: 1. Rules Education was provided to the women's basketball staff. 2. A letter of admonishment was issued discussing the appropriate legislation. 3. Women's basketball staff was prohibited from providing additional recruiting materials to the prospective student-athlete involved in the violation for 30 days following the first permissible date for distributing recruiting materials.

9. Volleyball 

Date: Oct. 13, 2o21

Summary: The women’s volleyball team competed in 29 dates of competition when it added an exhibition contest to its schedule.

Corrective actions taken: 1. Rules education was provided to the volleyball staff. 2. A letter of admonishment would have been issued to the former head coach, however, she is no longer employed at the institution. 3. A letter of admonishment was issued to compliance staff member. 4. Developed a more formalized form to document a team’s maximum contests and/or dates of competition. 5. The volleyball program only participated in two dates of competition (2-1 penalty) during the spring segment of the playing season.

10. Track & field

Date: March 7, 2022

Summary: Two volunteer track and field coaches received complimentary admissions to three away meets.

Corrective actions taken: 1. Rules education on volunteer coaches was provided to the track and field program. 2. Rules education was provided to all sports that have the ability to utilize a volunteer coach. 3. The impacted coaches donated the value of the impermissible complimentary admission to a charitable organization of their choice

11. Soccer

Date: May 2, 2022

Summary: The women’s soccer team held a team meeting during the week before finals outside of its declared playing and practice season.

Corrective actions taken: 1. Rules education was provided to the soccer staff. 2. A 2-1 penalty will be applied the first week Countable Athletically Related Activities hour limits are applied.

12. Men’s tennis 

Date: June 7, 2022

Summary: The men’s tennis team signed a PSA to a NLI and SEC Financial Aid Agreement who had previously signed with another SEC institution and not received a release.

Corrective actions taken: 1. Rules education was provided to the men’s tennis staff. 2. Immediately ceased communication with the PSA.