Illinois Wesleyan University Statement Regarding the Eligibility of Matthew Arnold

November 14, 2005

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Staff, in cooperation with Illinois Wesleyan University, has determined that men’s basketball player Matthew Arnold will be ineligible for competition for the first eight regular season games of the 2005-06 season.

In April 2005, the University received information about and began investigating activities involving the student-athlete and determined that certain activities rendered him ineligible for competition.

The investigation centered around a trip in the spring to Las Vegas which involved extra benefits provided by a former University employee.

The University self-reported the infractions and actively cooperated with the NCAA in seeking to restore Arnold’s eligibility. The NCAA, in restoring his eligibility, stipulated that he not participate in the first eight regular season games and that he make a gift to charity in an amount that satisfies NCAA repayment requirements.

The NCAA recognizes an extra benefit as any special arrangement by an institutional employee to provide a student-athlete a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation.

In the Illinois Wesleyan case benefits included travel, lodging, meals and other expenses associated with the trip.

After missing the first third of the season, Arnold, a senior from Bloomington, Ind., will be eligible to play in the game against Puget Sound on Dec. 29 at the Tom Byron Classic in Westmont, Calif.

Under NCAA rules he has been allowed to participate in exhibition games and non-publicized scrimmages and may practice with the team throughout the entire season.

This is the first NCAA infraction at Illinois Wesleyan since the school began affiliation with the NCAA in 1977.

“We have cooperated fully with the NCAA on this matter and were pro-active in our self-reporting,” said IWU athletic director Dennie Bridges. “We will react to this incident by working to better educate our coaches and student-athletes, as well as University staff and parents as to the importance of being aware of and complying with NCAA regulations.”

CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, Sports Information Director, Illinois Wesleyan University,
(309) 556-3181

CONTACT: Dennie Bridges, Athletic Director, Illinois Wesleyan University,
(309) 556-3345