DENVER The Rice University baseball team has been penalized by the Western Athletic Conference for violation of the WAC code in using a non-roster player in last weekends series against Nevada. Rice has accepted the penalty and will comply by reducing its travel squad for this weekends series at Fresno State from 25 to 23 players.
League rules state that the home team in a conference series may dress up to 32 student-athletes but only 25 are eligible to play in the series. Eligible student-athletes must be declared prior to the start of the series and changes cannot be made for any reason once the series has begun.
On Saturday, Rice led 14-3 with two outs in the top of the ninth inning against Nevada and inserted a player into the game not listed on the 25-man roster and, therefore, that player was ineligible. The Owls went on to win the game 14-6.
Rice Athletics very much regrets the Western Athletic Conference code violation which occurred in the weekend baseball series with Nevada," said Rice director of athletics Bobby May. "Safeguards have been put in place to insure only players on the official 25-man roster will enter the game. In accordance with the penalty, Rice will travel up to 23 players to this weekend's series at Fresno State."
Said Rice head baseball coach Wayne Graham: "I accept full responsibility for this mistake. It was an oversight on my part that should not have happened. I apologize to my players and to all Rice supporters. I appreciate the fairness of Commissioner Benson in determining our penalty."
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