suspensions
suspensions
Associated Press
VILLANOVA, Pa. -- Five Villanova basketball players were suspended for at least three games by the NCAA for making unauthorized telephone calls with a school access code.
The suspensions are to be served at the start of this season.
Villanova suspended 12 players in March for running up long-distance charges on a telephone access code belonging to an athletic department employee. The suspensions forced the Wildcats to use seven players, including two walk-ons, in the last three games of the season.
Junior forward Marcus Austin and senior forward Andreas Bloch were suspended for eight games, Villanova announced Thursday.
In addition, senior guard Derrick Snowden, and sophomore forwards Curtis Sumpter and Chris Charles, will sit out the first three games.
Bloch will miss only the first five games, because he served three games of his suspension last year.
Sophomore guards Randy Foye and Allan Ray were not punished because the university determined that both charged less than the $100 required for suspension.
Sophomore center Jason Fraser, who started as a freshman, is eligible to play after serving a three-game suspension last year.
Villanova football player Jeremy Morgan, a defensive back, was suspended for one game for using the code.
About 50 Villanova students, including non-athletes, made phone calls with the access code, athletic director Vince Nicastro said.
