Iowa Volleyball Program Receives NCAA Penalties

Program put on one-year probation, must vacate wins in 2017 and 2018 after former coach paid player $2,000.

Iowa's women's volleyball program has been placed on probation for one year as part of a negotiated resolution with the NCAA over rules violations by former coach Bond Shymansky.

The NCAA agreed that the violations occurred even though the athletics department had "appropriate institutional control and monitoring of its athletics program," according to a release by the university.

The NCAA's report, released Wednesday, also indicated that the athletics department "promptly acknowledged the violation, accepted responsibility, and imposed meaningful corrective measures," according to the release.

The one-year probation period begins Wednesday.

The athletic department was fined $5,000 as part of the resolution. The volleyball program must vacate 33 wins during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, and faces recruiting penalties during the one-year probation period. The program also will be permitted 77 evaluation days for recruiting during the 2020-21 season, a penalty of 3.75 percent.

Shymansky is also subject to a two-year show-cause order by the NCAA that runs through May 19, 2022.

According to the NCAA's report, Shymansky, who was 78-83 in his career at Iowa, gave $2,000 in cash — $1,500 in one payment and $500 in another — to an unnamed player to help with her living expenses after she transferred to Iowa in the summer of 2017. The player was ineligible for athletics aid because of "academic deficiencies that would require summer course work."

Shymansky reported that the money was originally intended to be an advance for the player working at Shymansky's volleyball camp later in the summer, but the player was also played for working the camp and the advance was not paid back.

“While we are disappointed in the isolated events, we appreciate the quick action of the NCAA in reaching this resolution," athletics director Gary Barta said. "We accept these findings and will move forward under head coach Vicki Brown and her staff.”

Brown was named interim head coach after Shymansky was fired, and and was named permanent head coach on Sept. 26. Brown joined the Iowa staff as associate head coach in April, 2017.