NCAA punishes Siena for violations under coach Jimmy Patsos

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y (AP) — Siena College has been handed a three-year probation and a $5,000 fine for violations an NCAA investigation of the program found under former men’s basketball coach Jimmy Patsos.

The NCAA found that Patsos provided impermissible benefits, including payments to players.

According to the NCAA Committee on Infractions, Patsos gave cash to student-athletes in the locker room after several games over the final three years he served as head coach. Payments ranged from $60 to $100 or more. The committee said the former coach did not seek guidance from the school’s compliance staff but he acknowledged some of the violations and said he misunderstood NCAA rules.

Siena, a private Catholic school outside the New York state capital of Albany, self-reported the violations a year and a half ago.

The NCAA said that during the probation Siena has to disassociate itself with an unnamed booster who interfered in the probe.

Punishment for the Level II violations vacates 46 wins from the final three seasons Patsos was head coach. He resigned after the 2017-18 season amid a wide-ranging investigation by the school that unearthed allegations of problems ranging from abusive conduct to financial improprieties within the men’s basketball program.

The NCAA also levied a three-year, show-cause order against Patsos, meaning that any NCAA member school which hires him must restrict him from athletically related duties unless it can demonstrate why the restrictions should not apply.

The committee announced its findings Monday, on the eve of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Siena is the top seed after winning the regular-season title.

Siena athletic director John D’Argenio said the school has two weeks to respond to the NCAA.