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COD athletics programs hit with yearlong probation

All 17 College of DuPage athletic teams are ineligible for postseason play this year after the National Junior College Athletic Association placed the programs on probation following the college's self-reporting of numerous administrative violations dating back to 2013.

The teams will still participate in regular-season activities.

COD President Ann Rondeau announced the NJCAA's punishment Friday, saying the results of an internal audit revealed the violations. Over four years, the audit showed, a number of student-athletes were allowed to participate on the college's teams without "certifications required by the NJCAA for eligibility," Rondeau wrote in a news release.

Some athletes did not have high school transcripts with graduation dates noted, physicals or NJCAA affidavits. Transcripts for some transfer students were also not properly submitted.

"It is important to note that the audit findings stated that there was no academic fraud discovered by any member of the athletic department staff or school," Rondeau said.

Rondeau became COD president July 1, 2016, after former President Robert Breuder was fired in October 2015.

Wanda Bodey, the NJCAA's director of compliance and eligibility, applauded COD's efforts to rectify the administrative issues.

"The integrity of the NJCAA is reliant on the membership doing the right thing," Bodey told Rondeau, according to the news release. "The hard work has shown during the 2017-18 academic year and we feel confident it will continue to improve."

In the wake of the audit, COD hired a new athletic director in June. The athletic department staff completed professional development training on NJCAA compliance as well. The college also coordinated academic and athletic record-keeping to ensure eligibility requirements are met.

COD fields teams that compete in football, soccer, tennis, basketball, baseball, softball, cross country, track and field, volleyball and golf.

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