NIC Track Coach Unknowingly Breaks NJCAA Rule

Editor’s Note: Rion R. Rivas was acquitted of the charge against him at a jury trial on Sept. 16, 1997, and the charge was dismissed on Sept. 18, 1997.

North Idaho College track and field coach Mike Bundy said he unwittingly broke an NJCAA rule when he posted bond money for one of his athletes.

NIC self-reported the violation on Wednesday to the NJCAA.

Rion R. Rivas, an 18-year-old freshman sprinter from Trinidad, was arrested on March 15 for aggravated battery after allegedly jamming a flat-headed screwdriver up the nose of another man.

Bundy put up a percentage of Rivas’ $5,000 bail, violating an NJCAA rule that states athletes cannot receive assistance in cash or kind which aren’t administered by the institution.

“I had no idea. (Tuesday) was the first time I was apprised anything was wrong,” Bundy said. “I’ve been here 27 years and I’ve never been in a situation where I had to think of it before.”

NIC is drafting a letter explaining details of the incident to the NJCAA, athletic director Jim Headley said. Headley didn’t condone Bundy’s actions, but said, “there is a compassionate side to this.”

“I don’t know what the scope of penalties are,” Headley said.

It’s likely to be a moderate penalty because the track program has no previous infractions and NIC self-reported the violation.

Rivas, who has been charged with aggravated battery, has surrendered his passport. The victim is apparently blind in one eye from the incident, police say.

Rivas won’t compete in meets until his legal matters are resolved, Bundy said. Rivas has been practicing with the team, but Bundy said that’s also under review.

Baseball

North Idaho’s Nate Lynch, a Central Valley product, knocked in four runs on two doubles in the nightcap to lead the Cardinals to a 10-2, 8-2 sweep of Columbia Basin on Wednesday.

North Idaho (5-4), which plays its Scenic West opener at Treasure Valley on Friday, received three hits and three runs from Matt Nelson in the opener.

In the nightcap, Jason Bay’s RBI triple helped the Cardinals’ cause.

Paull promoted

University of Idaho interim sports information director Becky Paull had the interim label removed from her title on Wednesday.

Paull, formerly a sportswriter at the Boise-based Idaho Statesman newspaper, had been the interim SID since October. She replaced Sean Johnson, who went to North Texas.

, DataTimes