Institution: University of Tennessee at Martin

Date: May 02, 2025

Violation Summary: Pursuant to Bylaw 19.10.6, this negotiated resolution has no precedential value. Violations occurred in the UT Martin women’s soccer and softball programs when players who received midyear scholarship increases were required by coaches to return those funds or reimburse teammates for donations. Additional recruiting violations occurred in the softball program. In women’s soccer, the parties agreed that former women’s soccer head coach Philip McNamara and former women’s soccer assistant coach Leslie Gillies instructed every member of the team to donate $300 to the Captain’s Challenge, the fundraising effort for the school’s foundation. McNamara then instructed four student-athletes — who had received $3,000 each in midyear scholarship increases — to return their increases to him or Gillies, or directly to teammates, to reimburse donations made by other members of the team, plus women’s soccer staff members and individuals affiliated with the program. The redistribution of the funds resulted in impermissible scholarship reductions for the four student-athletes and impermissible benefits for nine student-athletes who received reimbursements for their donations.

Penalty Summary: One year of probation; a fine of $25,000; a reduction of one women’s soccer scholarship or one roster spot for the 2025-26 academic year; a two-week ban on softball recruiting activities during the 2024-25 academic year; a two-year show-cause order for Dunn, during which any employing member school must restrict him from all athletically related activities. If he is employed in an athletically related position during this time, he will be suspended from 50% of the softball regular season contests during his first year of employment; a two-year show-cause order for McNamara, during which any employing member school must restrict him from all athletically related activities. If he is employed in an athletically related position during this time, he will be suspended from 50% of the women’s soccer regular season contests during his first year of employment; a one-year show-cause order for Gillies, during which any employing member school shall suspend her from two regular season women’s soccer contests; and a one-year show-cause order for Farmer, including a five-game suspension (served in February 2025).

Involved Sports:
Softball ,  Women's Soccer

Case Level: II

Involved Penalties:

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