Oklahoma: Sooner Program Under Review

Sooner Program Under Review: Already under self-imposed punishment, Oklahoma will meet with NCAA officials in April to determine if further action is necessary following several recruiting violations made from April 2000 to September 2004. During that time, members of coach Kelvin Sampson’s staff violated recruiting rules in phone calls to 17 recruits, three personal contacts and T-shirt gifts to a recruit and the parent of another one. The Sooners’ athletic department hopes to avoid more serious NCAA punishment through enacting their own sanctions. The men’s basketball program placed itself under probation until 200 by reducing scholarships and the number of phone calls and off-campus visits staff members can make to recruits, among other things. Although the violations seem minor, the longevity of the infractions may draw the ire of the NCAA. Oklahoma will find out soon enough. [1/06/06]