Small Virginia college adopts ban on athletes disciplined for sexual assault

University of Virginia’s College at Wise, a small school in southwest Virginia, on Tuesday formally adopted the “Tracy rule,” which bans athletes from playing in sports if they are found culpable in Title IX hearings or court for sexual or violent violations, USA Today reports.

According to the outlet, this makes the College at Wise the second university in the nation to take on the strict measure against sexual and violent misconduct.

“For us, it’s kind of a natural next step in continuing to develop our campus culture. It’s about continuing to educate our college constituents on how we can just be better, and just be the best us we can be,” UVA-Wise Athletic Director Kendall Rainey told the newspaper in an interview.

In 2020, the NCAA announced a new policy that requires athletes to disclose to any school they attend any allegations of sexual misconduct against them that resulted in an investigation, Title IX violation discipline or a criminal conviction. The rule also encompasses domestic violence.

The NCAA’s new policy was meant to go into effect in 2020, but was postponed until the fall of 2022 due to delays relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, USA Today reports.

The Tracy rule, which is named after rape survivor Brenda Tracy, goes even further than the NCAA policy. The rule disqualifies an athlete entirely if they are found responsible of the violations, reports USA Today.

The University of Texas at San Antonio was the first school to adopt the Tracy rule policy in 2019, the outlet notes.