Long Island University Hit With 3-Year Probation After Major Eligibility Infractions

The NCAA announced today that Long Island University (LIU) was being hit with major penalties after more than 600 student-athletes competed without proper eligibility documentation.

This news comes just a few years after LIU merged the athletic programs at their two university campuses into one Division I program for the beginning of the 2019-2020 season. The NCAA’s investigation started with the 2020-21 season and concluded with the 2023-24 season.

Following the merger, the schools sponsored 35 different sports across the two campuses, Brooklyn and Post.

The NCAA reports that LIU “improperly certified” hundreds of student-athletes. These students either did not meet eligibility requirements or did not complete the required NCAA forms. This led to 176 athletes competing and receiving “necessary expenses while ineligible or not certified.” A further 658 student-athletes competed and 111 practiced without proper forms.

The University took accountability for the violations, stating that following the merger, there was only one compliance staff member who was responsible for all 35 sports. They also stated that the athletics departments were split between the campuses and there were “communication inefficiencies between coaches and compliance staff.”

LIU said they did not have a “formal process” to certify initial eligibility and that there were no checks and balances in the process because there were no university departments outside of athletics “involved in verifying eligibility requirements.”

Both the men’s and women’s swimming teams were involved in the infractions along with a large number of other sports:

• Baseball, Field Hockey, Football, Men’s Basketball, Men’s Cross Country, Men’s Fencing, Men’s Golf, Men’s Ice Hockey, Men’s Lacrosse, Men’s Soccer, Men’s Swimming, Men’s Tennis, Men’s Track – Indoor, Men’s Track – Outdoor, Men’s Volleyball, Men’s Water Polo, Men’s Wrestling, Softball, Women’s Basketball, Women’s Bowling, Women’s Cross Country, Women’s Equestrian, Women’s Fencing, Women’s Gymnastics, Women’s Ice Hockey, Women’s Lacrosse, Women’s Rowing, Women’s Rugby, Women’s Soccer, Women’s Swimming, Women’s Tennis, Women’s Track – Indoor, Women’s Track – Outdoor, Women’s Volleyball, Women’s Water Polo

The NCAA and LIU agreed upon penalties which include:

• Three years of probation where staff members will attend NCAA Regional Rules Seminars
• All team and individual records in sports where ineligible players competed will be vacated. This includes baseball, football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s golf, men’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, and women’s volleyball.
• A $30,000 fine, plus 3% of the budgets for the four highest-budgeted sports programs involved in the violations
• A two-week ban on all recruiting activities for each sport during the first year of probation.

At the 2026 NEC Championships, the women’s team finished 5th overall while the men’s team finished 4th overall.

The LIU softball team just clinched their 2nd straight NEC regular season title on Sunday, and will be required to vacate 117 wins and 87 losses over the time frame including their 2023 NCAA Tournament appearance.