Syracuse University has notified the NCAA about social media posts that specifically referenced men’s basketball point guard Tyler Ennis while promoting jerseys.

Kevin Quinn, senior vice president of public affairs at SU, said in an email that the posts were made by an unpaid member of SU Athletics’ social media team. He said the university reported the matter, as is required by the NCAA.

The posts appeared on Twitter and Facebook Feb. 14, less than two days after Ennis hit a game winning buzzer beater against the University of Pittsburgh to keep the Orange unbeaten.

The posts read: “Get your Tyler Ennis Jerseys while they are still available!!!”

Both posts were later deleted.

NCAA bylaw 12.5.1.1 states: “Items that include an individual student-athlete’s name, picture or likeness (e.g., name on jersey, name or likeness on a bobble-head doll), other than informational items (e.g., media guide, schedule cards, institutional publications,) may not be sold.”

Quinn added that the university, the bookstore, athletics and other units are guided by those NCAA bylaws.

In addition, the SU bookstore has been selling T-shirts that read “Ice Man” on the front featuring a maple leaf in the A, and “Syracuse” above the number 11 on the back. Ennis is from Canada and wears number 11 for the Orange.

When contacted regarding whether the “Ice Man” shirt constituted an NCAA violation, Meghan Durham, assistant director of media and public relations with the NCAA, said she couldn’t speak to the specific situation because they didn’t “have all the facts in this case.”

Published on February 19, 2014 at 1:43 am

Contact Brett: blsamuel@syr.edu | @Brett_Samuels27