WAC deems New Mexico State’s remaining games as forfeits
Feb 13, 2023, 5:37 AM | Updated: 7:43 pm
FILE - New Mexico State's Ivan Aurrecoechea shoots against New Mexico during an NCAA college basketball game Nov. 21, 2019, in Las Cruces, N.M. New Mexico State indefinitely suspended its men's basketball program Friday night, Feb. 10, 2023. The school also placed first-year coach Greg Heiar and his staff on administrative leave for what it said were violations of university policy. (Nathan J. Fish/The Las Cruces Sun News via AP, File)
(Nathan J. Fish/The Las Cruces Sun News via AP, File)
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — The Western Athletic Conference has deemed New Mexico State’s remaining men’s basketball games as forfeits after the program canceled its season amid hazing allegations.
The conference said in a statement Monday night the forfeits will be used for conference standings and seedings because the NCAA doesn’t recognize forfeited games in a team’s overall record.
“While there is no perfect solution to this unfortunate situation, I believe we landed in the right place,” WAC Commissioner Brian Thornton said in the statement. “I applaud our Athletic Directors for working collaboratively with our staff to reach this decision.”
New Mexico State canceled the rest of its season on Sunday after the release of a police report that detailed three players ganging up on a teammate and attacking him in a case that includes allegations of false imprisonment, harassment and criminal sexual contact.
On Tuesday, university regents will hold a closed meeting to discuss “limited personnel matters concerning individual employees.” It did not name the employees who were to be discussed. The scheduling of the meeting came Saturday, the day after chancellor Dan Arvizu placed coach Greg Heiar and his staff on administrative leave at the same time he suspended the season.
The allegations come less than three months after the suspension of forward Mike Peake, who is being investigated in the case of the fatal shooting of a student from rival school, University of New Mexico, in Albuquerque on Nov. 19.
Peake has not been charged in that case, which included state police stopping the team bus on Interstate-25 as it headed back to Las Cruces shortly after the shooting. Missing from the bus were Peake and three of his teammates, who had taken him to the hospital with an injured leg.
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