BY JOHN ERARDI
The Cincinnati Enquirer

In the past year, the University of Cincinnati has violated several NCAA rules, most of them minor, according to documents obtained by The Enquirer through the Ohio Public Records Act.

There is only one document that refers to any wrongdoing in the men's basketball program: Ruben Patterson participated in a summer league without permission - he was suspended for an exhibition game.

UC Athletic Director Gerald O'Dell could not be reached for comment Friday. UC men's basketball coach Bob Huggins was out-of-town at a Nike clinic and was not available for comment.

Patterson played in one game during the Cleveland Pro-Am Summer League on June 24, 1996. When UC assistant coach Larry Harrison learned of Patterson's participation, he reported the infraction to a UC compliance officer.

After UC suspended Patterson for the first exhibition game of the 1996-97 season, the NCAA restored his eligibility.

UC is in the fourth month of an investigation into the eligibility of junior basketball player Charles Williams, who transferred to UC after playing the 1995-96 season at Chaffey (Calif.) College.

The investigation began when UC received a letter dated Jan. 28, 1997, requesting a review of Williams' eligibility. The NCAA had issued letters to a number of member schools that had athletes attend Compton (Calif.) College because of concern about "the large quantity of credit hours earned" by some NCAA athletes. Williams briefly attended Compton after finishing his spring term at Chaffey without a junior college degree.

The most sensitive documents uncovered by The Enquirer's use of the public records act had to do with former assistant football coach and recruiting coordinator Kyle Lingerfelt.

According to a UC compliance office report, Lingerfelt admitted to O'Dell on Dec. 22, 1995, that he had stolen monies that were supposed to be used for prospective student-athletes on unofficial visits, their guests and high school football coaches to purchase meals. UC estimated the total monies taken to be $800 to $2,000.

Lingerfelt, who had been employed at UC since August 1994, resigned on Dec. 21, 1995. He could not be reached for comment Friday. The UC sports information office said the last it had heard of Lingerfelt, he was coaching prep football in central Florida.

As part of UC's investigation into Lingerfelt's activities, officials discovered that Lingerfelt had allowed quarterback Chad Plummer, then a freshman, to make several long-distance calls home at no charge (value, $19). After UC required Plummer to repay the $19, the NCAA restored Plummer's eligibility. He didn't miss any games.

In two less serious matters, UC and Olympic diver Becky Ruehl was temporarily ruled "ineligible" last year for riding on a Drawbridge Inn Float in the Fourth of July parade in Ft. Mitchell, and basketball player Bobby Brannen and UC were cleared of any wrongdoing in his digging of a trench while employed at Surf Cincinnati.

Ruehl didn't know she was "promoting" the Drawbridge by riding on their float. She thought she was "simply being honored" for her accomplishments in the Olympics (fourth place in diving). But, technically, she had violated an NCAA rule. A UC compliance officer explained to the Drawbridge how their actions could jeopardize a student-athlete's eligibility. Soon after, the NCAA "restored" Ruehl's eligibility. She didn't miss any competitions.

Brannen, who was employed in general maintenance at Surf Cincinnati from July 13-August 16, 1996, was instructed to dig a 120-foot long, 2ï-foot deep trench from the new swimming pool to the electrical power source. He was paid $10 an hour for 67 hours' work. The compensation was judged to be commensurate with the going rate ($10-$15 per hour) for ditch diggers in Greater Cincinnati.

Of all the violations, the theft of money by Lingerfelt was the most serious. According to a report compiled by the UC compliance office, here is how it was uncovered:

During the week of Dec. 17, 1995, the athletic business office discovered that university monies controlled by Lingerfelt could not be accounted for.

On Dec. 21, 1995, head football coach Rick Minter questioned Lingerfelt about the missing monies. Lingerfelt denied any wrongdoing. Minter instructed Lingerfelt to retrieve all of his records related to the provision of meals, and along with athletic business manager Dave Scheppler, supervised that retrieval.

After reviewing the records, O'Dell and Minter determined the evidence indicated Lingerfelt had taken the missing monies. O'Dell and Minter agreed that Minter should request Lingerfelt's resignation. On the evening of Dec. 21, Minter did that; Lingerfelt complied and the next day "admitted to O'Dell that he took the missing monies."

UC's compliance office concluded that while it appeared "likely" that a "small number" of prospective student-athletes, their parents and - or their coaches may have received impermissible recruiting inducements, "no evidence was found to suggest" Lingerfelt had used the stolen monies to provide inducements and - or benefits that violate NCAA rules.

Here were some other violations at UC:

Student-athlete Charles McCann competed in an "unscored" track meet while not enrolled in a full-time program of studies. Head track coach Bill Schnier "self-reported" the infraction. UC declared McCann ineligible to practice or compete, and requested restoration of eligibility pending his enrollment in a full-time program. After McCann was withheld from the first track meet of the season, the NCAA restored his eligibility.

Student-athlete Kim Clay competed in a track meet even though she had not designated a specific degree program and was not listed on the institution's "squad list" form. Schnier and a compliance officer were reviewing numbers for a gender equity report when the infraction was uncovered. UC withheld Clay from two contests and issued a "cautionary letter" to Schnier.

Student-athlete Stacey Wikle participated in track practice before completing the NCAA drug-testing consent form and without being on the team's "squad list" form. Schnier and a compliance officer were reviewing the track roster when the infraction was discovered. UC withheld her from the next three contests and issued a "cautionary letter" to an assistant track coach. The NCAA restored her eligibility.

Baseball coach Brian Cleary sent a recruiting letter to a prospective player six weeks before the date allowed (Sept. 1) for contact with junior-year players. The penalty was that no further contact was allowed with the player until six weeks after the Sept. 1 date.

Postseason

WILLIAMS' LAWYER SAYS UC 'BEATING A DEAD HORSE' May 2, 1997
TRANSFER POSSIBILITY HELPS ENSURE WILLIAMS' COOPERATION April 30, 1997
UC DENIES REPORTS LOYER WAS SUSPENDED April 30, 1997
UC PRESIDENT: CAUTION NEEDED IN WILLIAMS PROBE April 29, 1997
SNOOP O'DELL COULD'VE FOUND BETTER WAY Daugherty column, April 29, 1997
HUGGINS' RIFT WITH O'DELL ERUPTS April 26, 1997
BLIZZARD PICKS UMASS OVER UC April 25, 1997
NORTH IDAHO GUARD TO SIGN April 21, 1997
UC GETS SPRING VISITS FROM BLIZZARD, JONES April 19, 1997
UC LOSES OUSLEY TO MEMPHIS April 15, 1997
JUCO PAIR COMMITS TO UC April 14, 1997
BRANNEN: NO FOOTBALL THIS YEAR April 11, 1997
KAMBALA PICKS UNLV OVER UC April 10, 1997
PREP STAR NARROWS LIST TO 3 April 7, 1997
WILLIAMS SAYS HE'S RETURNING April 5, 1997
BRANNEN WALKS ON FOOTBALL SQUAD April 4, 1997
FORTSON: 'I KNOW I CAN PLAY' April 2, 1997
RECRUITING TAKES ON URGENCY April 2, 1997
WOODEN SELECTORS SPURN FORTSON April 2, 1997
FORTSON LEAPS TO NBA April 1, 1997
BEST GUESS: FORTSON'S GONE, AND HUGGINS COULD GO, TOO March 17, 1997

NCAA Tournament stories

MARCH 16, 1997
IOWA STATE 67, UC 66
UC LOSS NOT ALL SURPRISING Daugherty column
BRANNEN BECOMES SCORER

MARCH 15, 1997
IDENTITY CHECK FOR UC
IOWA STATE GETS ASSISTS FROM HOLLOWAY

MARCH 14, 1997
UC 80, BUTLER 69
IOWA STATE IS TALL ORDER
20 MINUTES ENOUGH FOR UC THIS TIME Daugherty column

MARCH 13, 1997
UC'S FORTUNES HINGE ON FORTSON
NCAA LETTER LED TO WILLIAMS INQUIRY
WILLIAMS PUNISHED BEFORE TRIAL Daugherty column
HUGGINS TO OSU? A COMMON QUERY

MARCH 12,1997
GUARD PROBLEMS PLAGUE BEARCATS
HUGGINS QUOTES GILLEN ON OSU JOB

MARCH 11, 1997
FORTSON ALL-AMERICAN
WILLIAMS PREPARES TO START
MARSHALL HAS THE MUSCLE TO CHECK FORTSON

MARCH 10, 1997
UC, XU ON COLLISION COURSE IN SWEET 16
LET FORTSON PLAY, REFS - IT'S HIS TIME Daugherty column
OPPONENT DOESN'T MATTER TO BEARCATS
BUTLER ROSTER HAS LOCAL FLAVOR