The Citadel to suspend 33 athletes for improper bookstore purchases

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Thirty three athletes at The Citadel are facing a suspension from their sport after the school discovered they had made improper purchases at the schools bookstore Director of Athletics Mike Capaccio announced late Friday afternoon.

Among the 33 athletes were basketball players Brent Davis and Jerry Higgins who each missed the Bulldogs 1st round game in the Southern Conference Tournament on Friday.

Four other athletes will have to repay for their purchases but won’t face a suspension.

According to a statement from Capaccio “On February 24 we identified, and immediately reported, NCAA-compliance violations involving two student athletes’ bookstore purchases. After the initial violations were discovered and reported, further inquiry revealed 35 additional student athletes, for a total of 37, had made purchases that were not compliant with NCAA regulations. Those violations were also immediately reported to the NCAA.

The violations involved full-scholarship student athletes using funds meant to pay for their books, haircuts, and uniform requirements to purchase electronics and other non-allowable items from the campus bookstore.”

30 Citadel football players are among the suspensions.

“Each year, the athletics staff briefs athletes on scholarship rules during orientation.” Capaccio said. “In addition, the college has established processes to prevent unapproved purchases, including computer systems to detect and alert bookstore staff of problems. These systems did not work properly as the college transitioned to both a new bookstore vendor and a new student ID card system. We are correcting these problems.”