Akron players suspended over missing paperwork
A clerical error by Akron administrators will cost junior forwards Nick Harney and Demetrius Treadwell the first three games of the season.
The 6-foot-7 forwards won't play Firday at Coastal Carolina or next week against John Carroll and the opening game at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Thursday against Oklahoma State.
Officials did not submit the "final amateur certification" paperwork required before Harney and Treadwell competed in the 2011-12 season. Akron appealed, but the NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Appeals Committee upheld the suspensions.
"It is most unfortunate that these two student-athletes will suffer because of an NCAA requirement that our compliance office failed to verify," athletic director Tom Wistrcill said Friday in a statement. "Both Nick and Demetrius have worked extremely hard in the classroom since stepping foot on campus two years ago as non-qualifiers and are tracking to graduate on time and to earn back their fourth year of eligibility.
"Due to their immediate certification, we feel absolutely no competitive advantage was gained as a result of them playing last season and it is difficult for us to understand how the NCAA's decision to withhold them from competition is in the best interests of these student-athletes."
Harney averaged 8.3 points and 2.9 rebounds last season. Treadwell averaged 7.2 points and 5.1 rebounds.
"I feel badly for Nick and Demetrius because this oversight happened as a result of no fault of their own," Akron coach Keith Dambrot said.
