Jim Boeheim Plans to Appeal NCAA's Penalty

Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim plans to appeal the sanctions laid down on him and the program, which he called “unduly harsh.”

Earlier this month, it was announced the Boeheim was suspended for the first nine games of the 2015-16 season along with a myriad of other punishments handed to the program: a loss of 12 scholarships over the next four years, less recruiting time, and a loss of wins.

The punishments came as a result of multiple infractions, including students athletes’ coursework done by the athletic staff and tutors. The staff would log into the students’ email accounts and attach schoolwork to emails sent to professors, making it look like it was the work of students. The students had also received money from boosters and played games while academically ineligible.

Boeheim, who announced earlier this week that he plans to retire in three years, is claiming ignorance. He says he wasn’t aware that any of this was going on despite the NCAA’s investigative report saying that he was involved.

"This could not be further from the truth,” Boeheim told reporters. “This is far from a program where student-athletes freely committed academic fraud. I believe the penalty is unduly harsh."

Syracuse self-imposed a postseason ban on itself this season in anticipation of punishments. The NCAA said it took that ban into consideration but that it did not affect their sanctions.