SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A new internal audit has found extensive mismanagement within the Washington State University Athletics department, including the possible inflation of home football attendance and the improper distribution of free tickets to football games.

The audit, completed in mid-April, comes as leaders of the Pullman school grapple with a $67 million athletic budget deficit built up over recent years.

The audit also found problems with contract management, ethics training, attendance data, benefits for athletics employees and cash handling in the ticket office.

The school responded to the audit by saying changes were coming because of the hiring of a new director of athletics, Pat Chun, and other top administrators.

Chun was hired in January to replace Bill Moos, now at Nebraska, who was in charge during the audit period.