Hawai'i faces public reprimand by WAC

Advertiser Staff

The University of Hawai'i will receive a public reprimand for its failure to academically certify its football players for the ConAgra Foods Hawai'i Bowl unless the action is overturned or added to by the Western Athletic Conference Board of Directors, according to people familiar with the issue.

If upheld, it is believed to be the first public reprimand meted out to UH in its 24-year conference membership, according to conference officials.

Manoa Chancellor Peter Englert was traveling yesterday and unavailable for comment.

People in the WAC said the Council, which is composed of athletic directors, faculty representatives and senior women's administrators, had voted heavily in favor of the reprimand.

The council could have recommended action ranging from no penalty to fines and probation. It could have also chosen a private reprimand.

Under conference rules, the council's recommendation goes to the Board of Directors, which may accept the penalty, add to or lessen it. The board is composed of the presidents of the 10 member institutions.

It could be several weeks before the matter goes to the board because Manoa chancellor Peter Englert, who holds UH's seat on the board, is away on business, according to a school spokesman.

Englert and UH were represented at yesterday's board meeting on Fresno State's basketball probation by Karl Kim, Manoa interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

The Council took action after UH failed to certify the eligibility of its football players for the Dec. 25 game against Tulane. A six-month-old conference rule mandated that schools certify the eligibility of their players for postseason events.

A conference spokesman said UH was the only one of the WAC's three postseason teams not to submit a list. Fresno State held seven players out of the Silicon Valley Bowl game and Boise State certified all its players for the Humanitarian Bowl.