NCAA fines, reprimands Stanford for 2014 football, softball violations

The NCAA has fined Stanford $5,000 and reprimanded the university as a result of two rules violations committed in 2014, one in football and one in softball, the university announced Thursday. While they appear minor in comparison with violations by other programs around the country in recent years, the violations were embarrassing to a normally squeaky clean program that has won the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup for 22 straight years as the top overall athletic program in the nation. The benefits, valued at under $400, included restaurant meals with the landlord’s family, movie tickets with the family and the use of a local vacation home, the school said. Stanford student-athletes had lived with community home owners during the summer for decades. In 2007 the football program set up a process to connect athletes with local residents to obtain summer rental housing. In a statement, Athletic Director Bernard Muir said, “Over the years, we have instituted a robust rules-education program, created a culture of compliance and demanded vigorous self-reporting to the NCAA of any potential lapses.” The university acknowledged for the first time that Rittman was asked to resign in 2014 because of NCAA rules violations. Stanford said it imposed a penalty of “significant” limitations on softball practice hours under the new coach, Rachel Hanson.