ContestsEvents

LISTEN LIVE

A-U Men’s Basketball Program Committed NCAA Violations

The NCAA says Augusta University Men’s Basketball Coach Dip Metress  has been found guilty of violating the organization’s academic misconduct rule last year. Metress and former Assistant Coach O’Neal Armstrong…

Augusta University

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 12: The arena sits unused
after the announcement of the cancellation of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. The tournament has been cancelled due to the growing concern about the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The NCAA says Augusta University Men's Basketball Coach Dip Metress  has been found guilty of violating the organization's academic misconduct rule last year.

Metress and former Assistant Coach O'Neal Armstrong provided academic assistance to a student-athlete during the 2021-22 school year, a violation of NCAA rules.

An academic coordinator said he witnessed Metress editing and adding content to a paper that a struggling student-athlete was writing for an English class.

Metress admitted his involvement, but O'Neal denied his, despite video footage and statements from the student athlete.

The NCAA said today the actions will result in three years of probation; a reduction of two financial aid awards in the men's basketball program, one during the 2022-23 academic year and one during the following year; a fine of $5,000 (self-imposed); and suspension of two scrimmages and three regular-season contests for the head coach (self-imposed); completed during the 2021-22 academic year.

Armstrong was fired in August for failing to comply with the NCAA rules.

Mary Liz is the News Director and Co-Host of Augusta’s Morning News on WGAC. She spent 11 years as a News Director at an Indiana Radio Station. She has also worked as a former Police and Courts Reporter for The Republic Newspaper and Assistant Marketing Director of Merchants National Bank in Indianapolis. Mary Liz focuses most on local breaking news stories, feature stories on upcoming events, or community-service related organizations and the people who serve them. She has been with WGAC since 1995.