Besides the ineligible athlete, whose play was deemed a major violation, the NCAA also found that a former student-athlete received extra benefits from a former coach, a secondary infraction.

The school, in St. Joseph, also lost a scholarship to offer and was barred from recruiting abroad for approximately the next year. The probation expires in July 2011.

"Western regrets that violations occurred, but I believe that the reflection and review that this process prompted will make what was already a strong athletic department even stronger," said Dave Williams, Missouri Western's director of athletics. The school had imposed some of the penalties itself.

Neither the NCAA nor the school identified the ineligible athlete, saying she had played in an unidentified overseas professional league from 2000 to 2004 but failed to disclose that in her eligibility paperwork.

The NCAA said the athlete had exhausted her eligibility when she arrived at Missouri Western in 2005 after a stint at an a community college. The NHCAA also said the student had substantial playing time and contributed to a number of wins, including the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association championship during a 30-4 season in 2006-07.

The school's own report, completed a year ago after an 11-month investigation, concluded that former coaches probably provided three players with at least $1,000 in cash payments during and after their careers. But the NCAA only cited the school for payments to one player.

Missouri Western submitted its findings to the NCAA.

The coach, players, athletic director and president at the school at the time of the infractions have since left.