The NCAA has ordered Mary Hardin-Baylor to vacate its 2016 Division III national championship because the head coach let a player use his car for more than 18 months, which was determined to be an improper benefit for a student-athlete.
The NCAA announced its findings Thursday and said it would vacate any victories in which ineligible athletes played. The school said that would include 29 victories over the 2016 and 2017 seasons and the 2016 championship, a 10-7 win over Wisconsin-Oshkosh. School officials said they will appeal that punishment.
According to the NCAA, football coach Pete Fredenburg loaned a player his 2006 Subaru for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. He then loaned it to another player, but the car broke down within an hour and had to be towed.
Fredenburg said in a statement that he “unintentionally” broke the rules. He was previously suspended by the school for three months without pay and sat out the first three games of the 2018 season.
Mary Hardin Baylor won last years Stagg Bowl defeating Mount Union 24-16.