OVC report ready for release

The Ohio Valley Conference investigation into potential NCAA violations committed by the Southeast Missouri State women's basketball program also included some probing into the men's program.

The findings of a preliminary report by the conference commissioner's office will be released 9 a.m. today by the university in a news conference.

University president Dr. Kenneth Dobbins and athletic director Don Kaverman will discuss the findings. OVC commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher and Charles Smrt, the head of The Compliance Group based in Lenexa, Kan., will speak via telephone.

After Dobbins contacted the OVC in late January to seek an investigation into potential NCAA violations by the women's basketball program, the conference retained the services of The Compliance Group to handle the investigation.

It recently concluded its portion of the investigation.

The university received the report Thursday, but Dobbins said he would not comment on the findings or his reaction to the report.

The NCAA, which had begun its investigation into Southeast's women's program after it was contacted by the OVC and also receiving information from another source, still is conducting its probe. The organization that administers major college athletics conducted another round of interviews both on and off campus in June.

Its report is expected in August.

The OVC report consists of a two-page letter regarding findings of the investigation of the women's program and a one-page letter regarding the men's program, Dobbins said.

"We found something that was a potential violation, the investigation looked into the men's program, so we're going to discuss both," Dobbins said Thursday afternoon. "I'm not going to comment other than that."

The OVC commissioner's office will bill the university for the cost of the investigation. Dobbins said Thursday he does not believe that bill has not been received yet and that the payment likely will come from contingency funds.

Based upon the findings of the report, the university may impose sanctions on itself ahead of the NCAA's conclusions.

The Southeast Missouri State women's program finished 22-9, tied for the OVC regular-season championship and won the conference tournament for its first NCAA Division I tournament berth. The Redhawks lost to Stanford in the NCAA tournament to conclude the fourth season and best season under coach B.J. Smith.

The Redhawks are 79-41 overall and 51-17 in conference play in Smith's four seasons, the best marks among conference members in that span.

He signed a new contract in April that spelled out penalties for potential NCAA or OVC violations in the program.

The Southeast men finished 7-20 this past season. The contract of coach Gary Garner was not renewed following the season, and the university hired Tennessee assistant Scott Edgar this spring.