NCAA Imposes Sanctions on UND Football for Tampering Breach

GRAND FORKS — The NCAA has issued penalties to the University of North Dakota's football program due to a tampering violation, as announced on Friday. The infractions stem from assistant coach Travis Stepps engaging in "impermissible recruiting conversations" with a student-athlete from another institution who had not entered the Transfer Portal.

The sanctions imposed on UND include a $25,000 fine, a one-week recruiting communication ban, a 3 percent cut in official paid visits, three one-week prohibitions on unofficial visits, a one-year show-cause order for Stepps, and a one-game suspension for him. Additionally, the football program will face a year of probation, which, according to a UND spokesperson, does not affect postseason eligibility.

“We take responsibility for this Level II violation. It was identified through our own internal review and promptly self-reported, which reflects our commitment to compliance and institutional integrity,” said UND athletic director Bill Chaves. He also emphasized the evolving nature of the recruiting landscape in football, which sometimes creates conflicts with existing NCAA regulations. Chaves acknowledged the need for clearer and updated rules in light of these changes.

Stepps, who has been part of the Fighting Hawks for over a decade, previously worked at Southern Illinois alongside current head coach Eric Schmidt and former coach Bubba Schweigert. The NCAA reported that Stepps communicated with a Riverside Community College athlete whom he had previously recruited, with discussions primarily taking place before the official transfer notification period.

In a statement, Schmidt acknowledged the violation and reiterated the program's commitment to ethical practices. "The recruit in this case never set foot on our campus in Grand Forks nor played for us," he noted, while affirming that the violation does not excuse the actions taken. He underscored a focus on staff education to ensure compliance with NCAA rules moving forward.

Interestingly, Schmidt will not face any penalties himself, as the NCAA recognized his efforts to maintain a compliant environment within the program.