Kansas University programs in football and men’s basketball will lose scholarships as part of penalties announced today by the NCAA.

The penalties include:

¢ Three years’ probation, ending Oct. 11, 2009.

¢ A loss of three football scholarships for 2007-08 and 2008-09 academic years.

¢ The loss of one scholarship – from 13 to 12 – in men’s basketball in 2007-08 and 2008-09. The program also loses eight official paid recruiting visits.

¢ The loss of two scholarships in women’s basketball for 2005-06, and a reduction that year in the number of coaches who can recruit off-campus – from three to two. Those penalties were self-imposed by the university during that school year, but found by the NCAA to be “disproportionate” to the infraction.

The penalties were for violations that included more than $5,000 in benefits to two basketball players and their families; and improper benefits to seven football recruits, including test-taking assistance to two of those players.

Of the 11 violations, five were for football, three for men’s basketball and one for women’s basketball. The 10th was the bundling of 26 secondary violations, and No. 11 was a blanket violation alleging lack of institutional control.

Kansas self-imposed penalties for the violations it found – pretty much the same ones the NCAA found in its subsequent investigation – with hopes those would be considered enough in the eyes of the committee.

KU officials will hold a press conference at 4 p.m. to discuss their reaction. More as this story develops.

See the NCAA Committee on Infractions press release.