COLUMBIA, MO. • It was by no coincidence that Missouri athletics director Jim Sterk used the phrase “abused its discretion” in Thursday’s fiery 219-word salvo in response to the NCAA Committee on Infractions’ ruling against Mizzou’s football, baseball and softball teams.
After absorbing the NCAA’s roundhouse to the gut, Sterk’s counterpunch is the appeals process.
As Missouri’s compliance department dug into the allegations made by former athletics tutor Yolanda Kumar, that she completed coursework and took exams for 12 athletes across different sports, the school concluded that Kumar committed Level 1 NCAA violations. MU hoped its admission and cooperation would be rewarded with appropriate penalties.