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Aug. 26, 2002--University of Delaware defensive lineman Femi Ayi, a senior from Nashua, N.H., has been suspended, effective immediately, from the Blue Hen football team for violating Department of Athletics rules.
Director of Athletics Edgar N. Johnson and first-year head football coach K.C. Keeler announced the suspension Monday morning. The announcement followed a confidential investigation by both internal and external professionals that identified violations during the 1999 and 2000 seasons.
Ayi cooperated with the investigation and his scholarship will be continued during the coming academic year while he completes degree requirements.
"Femi admits he made a mistake. The best possible outcomes are that he be permitted to complete his degree and that the team redouble its efforts to prepare for Georgia Southern and the remainder of the season," Keeler said.
Johnson added, "We regret that this disciplinary action was made necessary and we wish Femi well. He is a capable young man."
Keeler announced the suspension to the football squad on Monday morning.
As is standard University procedure, the report of the investigators will be submitted to the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA).
The 5-11, 248-pound Ayi, a fourth-year starter this fall and a political science major, earned All-Atlantic 10 honors each of the last two seasons and entered his senior year having started 25 straight games. He has posted 83 career tackles, including 44 solo stops, to go with 11 sacks, the highest total among active Blue Hen players.
He started six games and posted 27 tackles and 3.5 sacks as a freshman in 1999 and started all 14 games and led the Blue Hens to the NCAA I-AA semifinals in 2000 when he posted 36 tackles and 5.5 sacks to earn second team All-Atlantic 10 honors. Last season he earned third team All-Atlantic 10 honors when he posted 20 tackles and two sacks in 10 games.
The Blue Hens, ranked No. 21 by ESPN/USA Today and No. 22 by The Sports Network in the pre-season polls, will host No. 5 Georgia Southern in the season opener this Thursday, Aug. 29, at Delaware Stadium. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
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