The NCAA announced Monday that Penn State’s bowl ban has been immediately lifted and that the program’s full allotment of 85 scholarships will be restored for the 2015-16 season.
The decision came following the latest report on the university from former U.S. senator George Mitchell, who was assigned to monitor the school following the release of former FBI Director Louis Freeh’s report on the university’s handling of the Jerry Sandusky scandal.
“Due to Penn State University’s significant progress toward ensuring its athletics department functions with integrity, the NCAA Executive Committee today eliminated the school’s postseason ban, effective immediately, and will return the full complement of football scholarships in 2015-16,” the NCAA’s statement said.
The NCAA originally issued a four-year postseason ban for the football program that was set to conclude following the 2015 season. Aditionally, the program’s scholarships were severely reduced to the point where it could sign no more than 15 players for a period of four seasons.
In September 2013, the NCAA gave its initial reduction of the penalties that allowed the team to have 75 scholarship players this season, 80 in 2015 and the full 85 in 2016.
“Penn State’s commitment to the integrity of its athletics department and its progress toward meeting the requirements of the Consent Decree are clear,” said Northern Arizona President Rita Hartung Cheng, who chaired Monday’s Executive Committee meeting. “We thank Senator Mitchell for his meticulous and exhaustive work over the past two years. Mitchell’s efforts and the dedication of Penn State officials made today’s decisions possible.”
Leadership from the NCAA executive committee met Monday with the NCAA Division I Board of Directors and the presidents of the Big Ten Conference and “took a vote on the action.”
Mitchell detailed his work with the university and its compliance department and the Board of Directors subsequently “accepted Mitchell’s report and endorsed the Executive Committee’s action.”
“Penn State has made remarkable progress over the past year,” said Harris Pastides, Board member and University of South Carolina president. “The board members and I believe the Executive Committee’s decision is the right one. It allows both the university and the association to continue to move toward a common goal of ensuring that educating, nurturing and protecting young people is a top priority.”
Penn State, off to a 2-0 start this season, will open its Big Ten slate on the road at Rutgers on Saturday.
For more Penn State news, visit BlueandWhiteIllustrated.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - NCAA lifts Penn State's bowl ban, full scholarships to be restored in 2015
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