KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mizzou says it wants to "Make it Right." On Monday, the university took the next step to try to fulfill that promise.
The University said it filed a 64-page appeal with the NCAA Appeals Committee.
MU is appealing what it calls "overly harsh" penalties handed down by the NCAA in late January for an academic fraud scandal. That punishment includes postseason bans for the football, baseball and softball teams, three years probation and recruiting restrictions, among others.
The scandal revolved around a tutor completing coursework for 12 student-athletes.
According to a release, MU argues the following in the appeal:
1) "The penalties handed down were contrary to NCAA case precedent."
2) "There were not supported, or appropriate, given the nature of the violations."
3) "They could have a chilling effect on future NCAA enforcement processes."
“We believe that the penalties our programs received were a clear abuse of the Committee’s discretion based upon existing NCAA bylaws. Our staff and legal team have worked tirelessly to research and develop a well-written appeal that accurately reflects our position,” MU Athletic Director Jim Sterk said in a release. “We look forward to having the opportunity to meet face to face with the NCAA Appeals Committee later this year, and it is our sincere hope that at the end of this process, the penalties assessed are consistent with the nature of the violations and take into account our swift response.”
The NCAA now has 30 days to respond to MU's appeal. Once that is completed, an in-person hearing date will be scheduled for MU to appear before the NCAA Appeals Committee.
The entire appeals process will likely take eight months.
