Last November, Wittenberg University was declared the winner in the inaugural Mascot Challenge between arch-rivals the College of Wooster and Wittenberg University. In an NCAA hearing last month, Wittenbergís crown was revoked.
Wittenbergís victory in the Mascot Challenge was wiped from the books after their once lovable mascot Ezry tested positive for steroids. Ezry failed a random drug test in accordance with NCAA rules. The positive steroid test nullifies Wittenbergís victory in the Mascot Challenge, but the NCAA ruling has even more significant implications for the Wittenberg football program.
In 2010, Wittenbergís football program went undefeated in the regular season and won two games in the Div. III playoffs before falling to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in the national quarterfinals. This was the teamís first trip to the playoffs since 2002, and its best finish since 2001. However, after Ezryís positive steroid test, the NCAA voided Wittenbergís 12 wins from the 2009 season, as well as the NCAC championship that came with them.
Further sanctions from the NCAA are forthcoming ó Ezryís positive steroid test is part of an ongoing NCAA investigation. Recently, the NCAA investigated Wittenbergís graduation rate, which sits at 63 percent and deemed that this category ìneeds improvement.” In contrast, Woosterís graduation rate sits at almost 80 percent.† NCAA investigators are also looking into allegations that certain football players received help on their SAT in order to meet the already relatively low entrance standards at Wittenberg. This would render many of the players academically ineligible. If allegations are found to be true, the NCAA is expected to charge the Wittenberg athletics department with a ìlack of institutional control.”
The allegations are a tremendous hit to the Wittenberg athletics program. After the Wooster basketball program has separated itself from the Tigers with six consecutive conference titles and made the once staunch rivalry one-sided, football season was the one thing Wittenberg fans had to look forward to. Now a dark cloud the size of Tiger alum Al Davisís ego has hovered around the entire athletics program.
One of the questions the NCAA has begun to investigate is how Ezry was supplied with steroids. While no specifics have been verified, one anonymous source points the finger at Wooster alum Bob Dyer. Dyer pledged his allegiance to Wittenberg after both of his children elected to attend Wittenberg instead of their fatherís alma mater. Dyer then put out a promotional video as part of the fallís Mascot Challenge, claiming that he had ìseen the light.”† As a result, Ezry may not have just seen the light, but has seen and sipped the juice as well.
NCAA investigators are expected to announce their findings in a hearing next month.
This story was run as part of The Wooster Vice, an annual April Fools publication.† It is a work of satire.