The NCAA announced sanctions on FCS’ North Dakota following a tampering investigation.
The case involved assistant coach Travis Stepps, who had “impermissible recruiting conversations with a student-athlete from another school who had not been entered into the Transfer Portal,” per an NCAA release.
North Dakota football admitted Stepps knowingly reached out to an athlete who he previously recruited out of high school before the athlete was in the transfer portal. North Dakota self-reported the violations after Stepps sent the athlete’s transcript to the school’s compliance office, which flagged the athlete was not in the portal.
The NCAA ruled because of the school’s compliance and self legislation, the Fighting Hawks‘ head coach Eric Schmidt would avoid punishment.
The penalties include:
- One year of probation.
- A $25,000 fine.
- A one-week ban on recruiting communications for the football program during the January 2027 notification-of-transfer window.
- A 3% reduction in official paid visits in football during the 2026-27 academic year.
- Three one-week bans on football unofficial visits during the 2026-27 academic year.
- A one-year show-cause order for Stepps, during which any employing NCAA member school must restrict him from communicating with four-year transfer prospects during the entire January 2027 football notification-of-transfer window.
- A one-game suspension for Stepps during the 2026 football season.
North Dakota went 8-6 last season, which included a 38-35 loss at Kansas State to open the season, and reached the second round of the FCS playoffs.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NCAA sanctions North Dakota football for tampering violations
