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UK Athletic Department sanctioned by NCAA following violations in football, swimming programs

University of Kentucky campus
Mark Cornelison
/
University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky campus

The University of Kentucky and the NCAA Committee on Infractions have agreed to sanctions on its athletic department following violations at multiple programs.

UK agreed it failed to monitor its swimming and diving program, and that its former head coach was responsible.

Violations include not allowing its student-athletes required days off, and exceeding practice hours for nearly three years.

Former head coach Lars Jorgensen was not named in the NCAA statement, but the ruling comes after his resignation last year amid sexual assault and harassment allegations.

The NCAA says it will hand down any penalties in a separate case.

UK President Eli Capilouto said in a statement the school could not comment further until a full decision is released. The NCAA says the school can serve penalties while the committee makes their final decision.

The school’s football program is also being penalized after at least eleven students were paid for work not performed in 2021 and 2022. Eight of them went on to play in games while ineligible to compete.

The NCAA said no staff member in the athletics knew or reasonably should have known about the payments, and is not included in the “failure-to-monitor” violation.

The school agreed to a fine, two years of athletic probation and to vacate wins from the 2021 football season.

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Shepherd joined WEKU in June 2023 as a staff reporter. He most recently worked for West Virginia Public Broadcasting as General Assignment Reporter. In that role, he collected interviews and captured photos in the northern region of West Virginia. Shepherd holds a master’s degree in Digital Marketing Communication and a bachelor’s in music from West Virginia University.
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