Conference investigates booster club at NIC

COEUR d'ALENE — Northwest Athletic Conference representatives will visit North Idaho College next week to investigate the use of booster club funds for the athletic program.

"The NWAC received an anonymous complaint alleging that one of NIC's athletic teams has possibly violated the NWAC codebook regulations regarding the use of booster club funds for student housing, food for athletes and athletic camps," NIC President Rick MacLennan wrote in an internal memo to college staff on Thursday.

"The focus of the complaint is on our processes and procedures, not about actions by our student-athletes."

The memo does not specify what sport the complaint refers to, but Laura Rumpler, NIC's chief communications and government relations officer, said the NWAC probe will not target just the one sport.

"For consistency, equity and thoroughness, the NWAC committee will review our entire athletics program and interview coaches and student-athletes from all sports," Rumpler said.

No individual was specifically named in the anonymous complaint to the NWAC nor is any one individual being investigated, Rumpler said.

NIC officials said the college anticipates receiving a report from the investigation within a few weeks after the review has concluded. Rumpler said the NWAC made NIC aware of the complaint in February.

"If or when there are any recommendations for reform or changes we need to implement, we will work diligently to do so," Rumpler said. "We are not shying away from this."

Three NWAC representatives will meet with coaches, athletes and staff to determine if there have been any violations.

"Secondarily, while they are here on our campus, they will conduct an athletics program review that was originally scheduled to take place last spring but was postponed," MacLennan wrote. "All NWAC colleges are undergoing such program reviews."

Rumpler said NIC will give the NWAC committee space to conduct its review and honor the guidelines the conference has given the college to conduct its business without influence or disruption.

MacLennan wrote that NIC takes the integrity of its athletics program seriously.

"When notified by the NWAC of the anonymous complaint, we immediately began the process of providing thorough and necessary documentation," he wrote. "This information-gathering process continues and we remain cooperative and open to this inquiry."

MacLennan wrote that he met with coaches on Monday while Vice President Graydon Stanley met with student-athletes and staff to communicate NIC's desire for openness and cooperation.

"The review of our athletics program will allow for an assessment of our students' and coaches' experiences of consistency and equity in the areas of advising, scholarship, financial aid, fundraising, camps and booster club support," he wrote.

The reviews follow an academic integrity investigation into NIC's athletic program that resulted in longtime head wrestling coach Pat Whitcomb being fired and assistant wrestling coach Keri Stanley resigning after being on paid administrative leave.

Whitcomb has denied any wrongdoing, while Stanley hasn't commented about his situation, per an agreement with NIC.

"I refused to resign as I had done nothing wrong," Whitcomb earlier wrote.

Rumpler declined to speculate whether the NWAC reviews and anonymous complaint to the conference are related to last winter's academic integrity investigation.