The NCAA has restored some of the scholarships that were stripped from Penn State’s football program as part of the sweeping sanctions dealt to the school for its response to the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal.
The school announced the decisionin a release on Tuesday, which was reported by ESPN.com.
“Beginning next academic year [2014-15], five additional initial scholarships will be restored to the university’s football team,” Penn State said in the release. “This amount will continue to increase until they reach the full allocation of 25 initial in 2015-16 and 85 total football scholarships in 2016-17.”
The NCAA handed down the historic penalties against the school last July, reducing the number of football scholarships from 85 to 65 for four years. Penn State was also issued a $60 million fine, forced to vacate wins by its football team from 1998 to 2011 and ruled ineligible for postseason play for five years.
The penalty cost former legendary coach Joe Paterno more than 100 victories, causing him to drop from first to 12th on college football’s all-time wins list. Paterno died in early 2012.
Sandusky, the former defensive coordinator for the football team, was sentenced to 30-60 years in prison last October for sexual abuse of 10 boys.
