South Carolina Self-Imposes Punishments After NCAA Violations

The University of South Carolina will cut six football scholarships among other self-imposed penalties in response to major violations found by the NCAA, the Associated Press reports.

"We continue to work in full cooperation with the NCAA on this very serious matter," president Harris Pastides said. "As an institution, we established self-imposed penalties and implemented corrective actions."

The violations included receiving $55,000 of improper benefits for staying at a Columbia hotel at a reduced rate and improper involvement with boosters of the university.

The Gamecocks have offered to eliminate six football scholarships over the next three years and pay a fine of $18,500 for four football players who were ineligible to play in 2009 due these violations.  The school has also reduced the number of official visits for the football and track teams and has imposed a three-year probation.