Wednesday, 5/7/97 Playoff plans cancelled This year’s team must
suffer for 1995 season’s violations
By Brent Boyd Daily Bruin Senior Staff The 1997 UCLA softball
team was found guilty by association, and consequently were
sentenced with the death penalty. No, the penalty handed down by
the Committee of Infractions is not considered the death penalty in
NCAA-speak, but for members of this year’s squad calling the
punishment anything else would be a gross misnomer. Only a week and
a half before postseason play was to begin, the NCAA ruled
fourth-ranked UCLA ineligible to participate in the playoffs due to
scholarship violations that occurred in the 1995 championship
season. It will only be the second time since the NCAA World Series
began in 1982 that UCLA will not participate. "It’s hard since
we’ve worked hard all season," junior designated player Kim Wuest
said. "We’ve been told all season that we’d be (in the playoffs),
but now, 10 days before regionals, we’re told no." According to
several players, the school was told by the NCAA that the program
may suffer the consequences of its action at some point down the
road, but not this season. "It was the last thing that we thought
would happen this year," freshman pitcher Christa Williams said.
"We were told that if anything was going to happen, it was going to
happen in the future." The timing of the penalty was particularly
harsh for the four Bruin seniors, as they will have no chance at a
championship run to conclude their collegiate career. Had they
known before the season started, they could have redshirted, saving
their one remaining year of eligibility for next year. "I’m just
angry and I don’t understand … I’m devastated," senior first
baseman Alleah Poulson said. "It’s my last year and I don’t have a
chance to play." As it stands,Poulson and the three other Bruin
seniors — outfielder Nicole Ochoa, pitcher B’Ann Burns, and
catcher Johnna Mike – will play their last games Saturday in a
doubleheader at Easton Stadium against Arizona State. There is
still a chance that UCLA will appeal the decision, thus enabling
the Bruins to participate in postseason play, but given the short
notice before the announcing of pairings on Sunday, it remains
unlikely that will happen in time to save the season. "It’s
devastating, we’ve worked so hard and now (a postseason berth) has
been stripped from us 10 days before the playoffs start," Williams,
who was not told of any of the potential violations until after she
signed the letter-of-intent, said. "The sad thing is this team had
nothing to do with it." That is what is so troubling about the
entire situation. All of the people involved in the violations have
since left the program. None of the current players were indicted,
and then co-head coach Sharron Backus retired prior to the
beginning of this season. Current head coach Sue Enquist was not
convicted of any wrongdoing. "I just feel like we’re being a
scapegoat and that we’re being set and example for. The girls (on
this year’s squad) didn’t do anything wrong," Poulson said. "I
don’t really know who to direct my anger towards because this has
been going for so long. So, I don’t really know who to blame, there
are so many people involved." Not only were the championship dreams
of this year taken away, but UCLA must also surrender the school’s
ninth national championship it won in that fateful 1995 season.
Seven members of that squad remain, including Wuest. "Throughout my
childhood, I’ve always dreamed of winning a national title," Wuest
said. "I was on the team that won it, and now two years later it’s
being taken away – that’s the hard part about it." What may be even
harder to take for Wuest and the rest of the team is that the dream
will have to wait at least one more season. Melissa Anderson, Daily
Bruin Staff contributed to this report. WYNN
RUJIRAVIRIYAPINYO/Daily Bruin UCLA softball head coach Sue Enquist
and her 1997 Bruins suddenly face the prospect of their season
ending this weekend. The NCAA Committee of Infractions penalized
UCLA Tuesday for violations incurred in the 1993-94 and 1994-95
seasons. UCLA Sports Info UCLA added Tanya Harding through
illegally assigning scholarships. She then led the Bruins to the
1995 national championship.