Arkansas Baptist College has been forced to forfeit their football game wins this season due to a series of ineligible players.
The team, which is a provisional member to the the SWJCFC, was informed by the National Junior College Athletic Association of the rule violation. According to TJC Assistant Athletic Director Charles Smith, Arkansas Baptist College played multiple ineligible players in all of its eight games in the 2008 season. That includes the October 18 game where Ark. Baptist beat TJC.
NJCAA bylaws state, “An NJCAA member college which uses an ineligible student-athlete, whether knowingly or not, shall forfeit all contests in which such ineligible student-athlete participated.”
TJC’s record now sits at 4-4, and 3-3 in conference play. Other forfeited games from Arkansas Baptist include Highland, Northeastern Oklahoma and Cisco.
Any future games for Ark. Baptist College must be played with eligible players or the school could face more penalties to not only the football program but other sports as well.
The TJC Apaches will end their regular season this weekend at Rose Stadium when they host NEO at 2 p.m. Saturday.
