It appears that Kyra Crosby’s playing career at BR-54 Livingstone has come to an end and the school’s historic regular season is effectively wiped out.
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association issued a statement early Sunday morning which appears to uphold the initial sanctions imposed by Livingstone after questions arose regarding Crosby’s eligibility.
“After reviewing the report, for the purpose of seeding for the 2015 CIAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, the conference office will nullify the 18 contests in which [Crosby] participated,” the statement read. “Livingstone will be allowed to participate in the tournament and qualify for regional post-season play. The program will be seeded as 6-4 in the [CIAA South].”
The Lady Blue Bears, who would have finished the season 24-1 overall (15-1 CIAA overall, 9-1 CIAA South) now have an overall record of 6-19 (6-10 CIAA overall, 6-4 CIAA South), which makes them the third seed from the South Division in the CIAA tournament. The 24 wins would have set a school record, breaking the previous mark 19 wins from the 2000-2001 season.
“The process will only penalize Livingstone,” the league said. “The records of Livingstone’s opponents will be unaffected.”
As such, BR-109 Shaw will be declared CIAA South Division champion with an 8-2 division record. BR-116 Johnson C. Smith, who had finished the season with a 6-4 division record, will now become the second seed from the South and receive a first round bye. The rest of the CIAA standings remain unaffected.
Neither the conference nor the NCAA recognize forfeits or nullification as an official result.
“Unlike forfeits, nullification in its application is a process which seeks to penalize only the offending individual/team or institution while preserving the accomplishments and actual competition results earned by the other teams involved,” the league said. “If selected for regional play, the NCAA will apply NCAA Division II Principles of Nullifications to Livingstone’s results as part of the ranking and selection process.”
The Lady Blue Bears were ranked first in the initial Atlantic Regional Rankings, which helps determine which eight teams from each region make the NCAA tournament. Under the nullification principles, they are now considered to have the 6-19 record with nullification applied, effectively knocking them out of regional playoff consideration, unless they win the CIAA tournament.
Livingstone is set to open tournament play Tuesday afternoon against BR-226 Bowie State, the sixth seed from the CIAA North, at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, N.C.
Livingstone declared Crosby, a senior from Atlanta, Ga., ineligible on Feb. 13 following issues regarding her transfer from Division I Georgia State. Crosby was on the Georgia State roster last season, but did not appear in a single game and had withdrawn from the school after the fall semester due to family issues.
Crosby appealed the decision to CIAA Commissioner Jacqui McWilliams two days after Livingstone’s initial report. Based on the statement, it appears as if the appeal has been denied and that Crosby’s collegiate playing career is effectively over.
Crosby initially played two years at Gulf Coast State College, a community college in Panama City, Fla., before transferring to Alabama for her junior season. She sat out the 2012-2013 season at Georgia State following her transfer from Alabama.
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FULL TEXT OF CIAA STATEMENT, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015
CIAA TO NULLIFY LIVINGSTONE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CONTESTS FOR TOURNAMENT SEEDING
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) has received confirmation that Livingstone College has self-reported an eligibility violation to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) regarding a student-athlete for its women’s basketball program.
After reviewing the report, for the purpose of seeding for the 2015 CIAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, the conference office will nullify the 18 contests in which the ineligible student-athlete participated. Livingstone will be allowed to participate in the tournament and qualify for regional post-season play. The program will be seeded as 6-4 in the division.
As additional penalties, Livingstone will be disallowed the opportunity to be named division champs and participate in any tie-breaker scenarios.
The CIAA will apply nullification in much the same process as employed by the NCAA (as outlined in Championships Eligibility for 2014-15 – NCAA Division II Principles of Nullification).
Application of the CIAA principles of nullification will result in all contests in which the ineligible student-athlete competed being nullified (win, lose or tie). The process will only penalize Livingstone. The records of Livingstone’s opponents will be unaffected.
Neither the CIAA nor the NCAA recognizes forfeits as an official result.
Unlike forfeits, nullification in its application is a process which seeks to penalize only the offending individual/team or institution while preserving the accomplishments and actual competition results earned by the other teams involved. If selected for regional play, the NCAA will apply NCAA Division II Principles of Nullifications to Livingstone’s results as part of the ranking and selection process.
