Southeastern Louisiana University finds 137 ineligible athletes competed

NEW ORLEANS — An internal investigation at Southeastern Louisiana has revealed that 137 ineligible athletes competed for the Lions in unspecified sports between 2005 and 2010.

In a statement released Thursday, Southeastern, which is located in Hammond, said most violations occurred between 2005 and 2007 and involved instances in which the university failed to comply with NCAA academic requirements by mistakenly certifying athletes as eligible.

"In many instances, student-athletes would have been eligible had proper procedure been followed, such as timely declaration or change of a major," Southeastern athletic director Bart Bellairs said.

The report stressed there was no evidence Southeastern recruited athletes who weren't in good academic standing, noting that 86 percent of the athletes in question graduated.

More at http://www.shreveporttimes.com/viewart/20130328/SPORTS02/130328050/Southeastern-Louisiana-University-finds-137-ineligible-athletes-competed- .

Cross-posted Sports Group.