Fifty men’s basketball victories and a conference championship were erased from College of Marin’s books after an investigation found the former coach and his family improperly financed players’ tuition, rent, food, textbooks and more.

The sanctions — which include team probation for two years and athletic department probation until January 2017 — were administered by the Bay Valley Conference athletic league after an investigation the college conducted last year into the actions of former coach David Granucci.

“When students receive impermissible benefits they forfeit their athletic eligibility,” Carlyle Carter, president of the California Community College Athletic Association, said in an email.

“It is not unlike a situation in which someone receives prize money for athletic participation which renders them ineligible and they would be viewed as a ‘professional’ moving forward,” Carter said. “We aren’t saying that in this case that the students are professionals — it is just a similar situation with the loss of their athletic eligibility.”

Carter said Friday that in his 11 years with the CCCAA, he has seen six or seven sanction cases similar to this.

“As far as I know, we’ve never had sanctions placed on us prior to these sanctions,” College of Marin athletic director Steve Berringer said. “That goes back from me being a coach since ‘98. I was also a player starting in ‘92. So as far back as ‘92, I can guarantee no sanctions.”

College officials, who initially appealed a portion of the sanctions, have accepted the punishment, which became official in January.

“At this point we’re complying with the sanctions and unfortunately the student athletes are facing the consequences of a situation that they didn’t create,” said Jonathan Eldridge, the college’s senior vice president.

Coach resigned

Granucci, 38, did not receive any sanctions from the Bay Valley Conference, having resigned from his coaching position in October. The former coach, who grew up in San Anselmo and was a standout player at Sir Francis Drake High School, did not return phone calls seeking comment.

“Over the past (three) years I have dedicated my life to the basketball program at College of Marin,” Granucci wrote in an email to the Independent Journal in October. “My sole purpose has been to develop a structured environment, specifically for young men, where they can grow both mentally and emotionally through college academics and athletics. I am extremely proud of everything we accomplished at College of Marin.”

The sanctions require that the team send back the 2014-15 Bay Valley Conference title trophy and forfeit any games in which students who received impermissible benefits played.

Though the college was advised of the commission’s ruling and sanctions in January, it did not publicly release the actions until last week, after an inquiry by the Independent Journal.

Playoff ban

The punishment leaves the college’s official records at 0-27, 0-30 and 2-23 for the past three seasons. They were 15-12, 26-4 and 11-14 prior to the sanctions.

“We may miss out on a student athlete or two who may otherwise have committed to us until the sanctions are lifted, but I’m confident in the coach in place and the student athletes we have and I’m confident we can recover from this in time,” Eldridge said of the program, now coached by Marshall Collins, who was hired after the school’s investigation.

The men’s basketball team was banned from post-season play this year and remains ineligible for the playoffs next season. Eight players were banned: Stan Kaya, Bobby Reeves, Modesta Britten, Robert Colton, Karim N’Diaye, Ken Modica, Ty Davis and Willie Rooks.

The sanctions were passed down by the Bay Valley Conference after the College of Marin self-reported the violations in November. The punishments handed down by the conference were based on an investigation requested by the college and conducted by the Sacramento law firm of Spinelli/Donald/Nott last year.

The investigation determined that Granucci and members of his family provided improper aid to several players on the team in the form of tuition, textbooks, food, furniture and rent.

Violations listed

The conference cited several compensation violations disclosed in the report. In its sanction letter to the college, it cited:

• Tuition: “Stan Kaya, an international student who participated on your men’s basketball team in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, had his tuition paid for during the entire time he was a team member. The tuition was paid by Ronald Granucci, father of the head coach, as well as John Granucci, brother of the head coach.”

• Rent: “At least two athletes, namely Bobby Reeves and Modesta Britten, did not pay any rent for two months. Other basketball players residing at the same apartment complex paid substantially less than the going rate for the apartment. The person who paid the cost difference was Meredith Granucci, sister of Coach Dave Granucci.”

• Books and food: “Coach Granucci paid for three textbooks for Stan Kaya. He promised at least six players low rent, free books, supplies and food. He issued ‘financial breakdowns’ in which these promises were made.”

• Fundraising: “Coach Granucci was directly involved in planning, scheduling and handling the fundraiser known as STAR, Student Athletic Resources, College of Marin. No expenses or income generated by the fundraiser were accounted for within the College of Marin’s business office procedures. There was at least $500 collected which is unaccounted for.”

Probation period

With the athletic department on probation, any violations by any of the athletics programs between now and January 2017 could result in further sanctions against one or more of the College of Marin teams.

The school must also file monthly reports to conference Commissioner Shirley Baskin, detailing any and all contacts made with any potential men’s basketball players.

While the school said it accepted the majority of the sanctions, it did contest barring students who received improper aid from competing in future games.

“We understand that there are consequences when a coach violates rules,” Eldridge said. “We’re just disappointed when students are drawn into this and face those consequences as well.”

As part of its appeal to the CCCAA, the college asked why student athletes were being punished while Granucci was able to avoid sanctions.

A letter dated Jan. 19 addressed to Baskin and signed by college President David Wain Coon argued that, “The remaining players were not knowingly complicit in Mr. Granucci’s wrongdoing and we believe that they therefore should not bear the brunt of these sanctions. These students were following the directions of their coach, whom they trusted at the time, and have complied with everything we have asked of them since the issues at hand came to light.”

Appeal denied

The college’s appeal was initially granted by the conference, but was subsequently denied by the CCCAA, which oversees the community college athletics.

“Relative to the situation involving the former coach, the CCCAA may only sanction those individuals that are within the Association as we have no jurisdiction over members of the public or those no longer associated with the College,” Carter said in an email. “Understand that the situation was handled by the Bay Valley Conference and only the appeals were brought forward to the CCCAA level.”

Sanctions against the men’s basketball program left the team with just six players available during the last few weeks of the 2015-16 season, which ended Feb. 12.

Despite the sanctions and postseason ban, coach Collins said he is optimistic about the future of the program.

“Right now, I have 10 new guys coming in — some top A-list guys coming in,” Collins said. “We’re moving forward. Before the (basketball season) ended, I had four new guys enrolled getting ready for next year, guys who will be a key part of what we do.

“Next year’s team is looking very strong. We’re banned from the postseason for one more year, but we still have a chance to win our league championship and that’s our goal. With the kids we have in here, that’s our goal. I’m really excited.”