NCAA upholds penalties against UMass basketball, tennis

By RALPH D. RUSSO
AP College Sports Writer

The NCAA’s Division I Infractions Appeals Committee has upheld penalties against UMass’ men’s basketball and women’s tennis programs in a case that garnered national attention. Former UMass tennis player Brittany Collens has waged a public fight against the NCAA since having a conference championship stripped by the Committee on Infractions last year. The appeals committee confirmed the school provided impermissible financial aid of about $9,100 to 12 athletes over three years that made them ineligible for competition and said the penalties applied were within the infractions committee’s discretion. That committee’s ruling vacated 59 basketball victories and an Atlantic 10 championship in women’s tennis. Collens tweeted the NCAA does “not care about athletes in the slightest.”