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Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim in 2012 with center Fab Melo, who's one of the reasons the NCAA investigated the basketball program.

(Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com)

Syracuse, N.Y. — The NCAA today ordered Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim suspended for nine games as a result of multiple infractions over the past eight years.

SU basketball and football were both placed on five years' probation, according to the 94-page report.

The NCAA ordered SU basketball to lose three scholarships a year for four years, or 12 total, the NCAA ruled.

The NCAA ordered Syracuse to return to the NCAA all money it has received from the former Big East Conference revenue-sharing for its appearances in the 2011, 2012 and 2013 NCAA basketball tournament

Chancellor Kent Syverud said the school may appeal: "The university is considering whether it will appeal certain portions of the decision. Coach Boeheim may choose to appeal the portions of the decision that impact him personally. Should he decide to do so, we would support him in this step."

The NCAA, in a news release, criticized Boeheim not keeping control of his program.

"During the 10-year period of violations, the head basketball coach did not promote an atmosphere of compliance within his program and did not monitor the activities of those who reported to him as they related to academics and booster involvement," the release said.

It appears the scholarship ban will keep Syracuse from adding Rochester talent Thomas Bryant. The NCAA said three scholarships would be taken away for four seasons from 2015-16 and 2018-19. Syracuse can delay the lost scholarships for a season but only if the school has already executed financial aid agreements with the players.

From 2001 to early 2009, the school did not follow its own written policies and procedures for students who tested positive for banned substances, the NCAA found. Syracuse had a written policy; however, Boeheim and athletic director Daryl Gross admitted they did not follow the policy, the NCAA found.

SU imposed a postseason ban last month for the current season.

The NCAA, in today's report, said it accepted Syracuse's self-imposed postseason ban but noted that it did not reduce the school's other penalties because it occurred after the hearing in front of the committee on infractions.

The NCAA did not impose any further postseason bans.

The violations go back to 2001, the NCAA ruled.

The school received the report this morning.

The penalties do not include SU forfeiting its 2003 national basketball championship.

The SU basketball program will also have to forfeit an unknown number of wins from the seasons of 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2010-11 and 2011-12.

Last month, SU self-imposed a ban on postseason play for its men's basketball team in anticipation of the NCAA's findings.

The penalty announced today was the second in 23 years the NCAA has imposed against SU over violations in the men's basketball program. In 1992, the NCAA placed SU on two years' probation, imposed restrictions on basketball recruiting and banned some postseason play over recruiting rules violations.

In 1995, the NCAA stripped SU of its 1990 national championship in lacrosse for violations that included providing extra benefits to players.

In the current investigation, the NCAA concluded its investigation into SU's athletic department at a hearing in October before the organization's Committee on Infractions. Football coach Scott Shafer and basketball coach Jim Boeheim attended portions of the closed-door hearing.



Reporters Chris Carlson and Nate Mink contributed to this story. Contact John O'Brien at jobrien@syracuse.com or 315-470-2187.

