FAMU Athletic Director Nelson Townsend was quite upbeat when facing the media this afternoon to discuss the penalties handed down by the NCAA."Being on probation means simply abiding by the rules without exception. And that is the culture that I announced in this room over a month ago (in December, when he accepted the athletic director's position) that we will adopt in Athletics," Townsend said.
Even during the probationary period, Florida A&M will be able to fully compete for Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships in all sports, including the remainder of the 2005-06 school year and for the full extent of the period, which concludes on January 31, 2010.
FAMU will lift its self-imposed penalties against the women's and men's basketball teams and allow them (should they be invited) to participate in `March Madness' (i.e. conference tournament, NCAA Tournament). "Both our teams will be able to play in the MEAC Tournament and we wish them well and hope to see them in the championship round on March 11 in Raleigh, North Carolina," Townsend said.
The university also gave men's head basketball coach Mike Gillespie, Sr. and assistant coach Mike Gillespie, Jr. clearance to recruit off campus the remainder of this school year, after being restricted from off-campus recruiting as part of the list of self-imposed penalties.