NCAA bans Indian mascots, nicknames from postseason events

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA banned the use of American Indian mascots by sports teams during its postseason tournaments, but will not prohibit them otherwise.

The NCAA's executive committee decided this week the organization did not have the authority to bar Indian mascots by individual schools, committee chairman Walter Harrison said Friday.

Nicknames or mascots deemed "hostile or abusive'' would not be allowed by teams on their uniforms or other clothing beginning with any NCAA tournament after Feb. 1, said Harrison, the University of Hartford's president.

"What each institution decides to do is really its own business'' outside NCAA championship events, he said.

At least 18 schools have mascots the NCAA would deem "hostile or abusive,'' including Florida State's Seminole and Illinois' Illini. The full list of schools was not immediately released.

Not all schools with Indian-related nicknames would be on that list. NCAA officials said some schools using the Warrior nickname do not use Indian symbols and would not be affected.

The NCAA two years ago recommended that schools determine for themselves whether the Indian depictions were offensive.

Among the schools to change nicknames in recent years over such concerns were St. John's (from Redmen to Red Storm) and Marquette (from Warriors to Golden Eagles).

The NCAA plans to ban schools using Indian nicknames from hosting postseason events. Harrison said schools with such mascots that have already been selected as tournament sites would be asked to cover any offensive logos.

Such logos also would be prohibited at postseason games on cheerleader and band uniforms starting in 2008.

Illinois RB Marcus Mason dismissed from team

Illinois – Junior backup RB Marcus Mason dismissed from team

Purdue recruit likely will miss freshman year

Tiller doesn't expect Lymon to qualify academically

CHICAGO -- Selwyn Lymon continues to hope he will be eligible to play for the Purdue football team this season, but he concedes that is looking less likely.

"I check my mailbox every day, hoping for some good news," the jewel of the Boilermakers' 2005 recruiting class said Tuesday night.

Purdue coach Joe Tiller said Tuesday during the Big Ten media days it appears Lymon, a wide receiver from Fort Wayne Harding High School, has not met NCAA freshman eligibility requirements and will not play this season.

Tiller said it was his understanding Lymon received the required score on the ACT but narrowly missed getting the required grade-point average.

"He's graduated from high school and the grades are in the record book," Tiller said.

"They're not going to change. As we sit here today, it doesn't look like he's going to be a qualifier."

The 6-4, 190-pound Lymon was listed as the state's top recruit and the No. 7 wide receiver nationally by rivals.com.

He said his eligibility problem stems from a criminology class in which he received a "B" while attending Fort Wayne North High as a sophomore.

Lymon transferred to Harding before his junior year, and it was his understanding the NCAA would count the two-credit class toward its core requirement. The NCAA counted it as an elective, Lymon said.

"I'm still waiting to see if something goes through because I'm so close," Lymon said.

NCAA rules prohibit Purdue from offering Lymon an athletic scholarship for the upcoming year, but he said he plans to enroll at the school and pay his way. He cannot practice with the team.

Mounds View QB picks Gophers over Badgers

For the past three weeks, Mounds View senior quarterback Adam Weber went back and forth between the Gophers and Wisconsin as he tried to choose his future college home.

Ultimately, Weber said the Gophers felt like the perfect fit, which he told Minnesota coaches when he gave his verbal commitment Tuesday. Weber represents the Gophers' first high-profile commitment for the 2006 recruiting class.

"It came down to what school I could see myself at for the next four or five years," Weber said. "It's nice to have this off my back so I can enjoy my senior year."

Weber, who is ranked the sixth-best prospect in the state by Rivals.com, will be a four-year starter at Mounds View this season. He completed 81 of 158 passes for 1,344 yards and 12 TDs with two interceptions last season.

Adam Weber, Mounds View quarterback

Weber (6-2, 200 pounds) is the son of former Gophers football player Bobby Weber, who played defensive back from 1974-76.

Weber said Barry Alvarez's decision to step down as Badgers coach after this season played a small part in his decision.

"It made you step back and re-evaluate it," he said. "I'm really happy with my decision."

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