U.S. Army football players 'lured new recruits with alcohol, cheerleaders and a VIP party bus complete with a police escort'
- Cadets and two coaches have been disciplined at U.S. Military Academy
- They lured new recruits by hosting alcohol-fueled bus trip, says report
- They also allegedly used cash from boosters and organized dinner dates
- Two military police officers reprimanded after 'escorting the 'party bus'
- Shocking revelations detailed in the report by West Point academy itself
- Sentto NCAA as recruiting violation; details of discipline not revealed
U.S. Army football players lured this year's recruits with alcohol, cheerleaders and a VIP 'party bus', an official report has claimed.
Twenty cadets and two coaches at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, were reportedly disciplined after promoting underage drinking and other improper benefits.
They allegedly appealed to prospective players by hosting an alcohol-fueled bus trip, using cash from boosters and arranging dinner dates with 'pretty' cheerleaders and female athletes.
Disciplined: Twenty cadets and two coaches at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, were reportedly disciplined after promoting underage drinking. Above, the Army football team in September 2013
Luring recruits: They allegedly appealed to prospective players by hosting an alcohol-fueled bus trip, using cash from boosters and arranging dinner dates with cheerleaders and female athletes (file picture)
During the bus trip, recruits were driven to a bowling alley with a reputation for overlooking underage drinking, according to the report obtained by The Gazette of Colorado Springs.
There, cadets allegedly ordered towers of beer for the recruits to drink, mostly paid for by booster money. Some attendees reportedly downed seven drinks in just 90 minutes.
Two military police officers, alongside a number of cheerleaders, allegedly escorted the 'party bus' during the incident in February. The officers were reprimanded following an internal investigation.
The shocking revelations were detailed in the report by the academy itself, which was later submitted to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as a recruiting violation.
Dinner dates with cheerleaders: The revelations were detailed in the report by the academy itself, which was later submitted to the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Above, Army cheerleaders during a game
Coach: Despite football coaches, including first-year coach Jeff Monkon (pictured), knowing of the incidents within days, they failed to initially tell West Point leaders or the NCAA, the report said
West Point spokesman Theresa Brinkerhoff, said the academy did not publicly detail the incident at the time because it was handled 'administratively', the New York Daily News reported.
The specific punishments for the officers, players and coaches have not been revealed, but no footballers were dismissed from the Army team, nor were any suspensions announced.
Ms Brinkerhoff told the NCAA two members of the football staff had been removed from team activities for a week following the misbehavior, which involved 14 recruits.
However, despite football coaches, including first-year coach Jeff Monkon, knowing of the incidents within days, they failed to initially tell West Point leaders or the NCAA, the report said.
Star: The football players involved - which include Army starting quarterback Angel Santiago (above, number 3) - are expected to play against the Air Force Academy at West Point's Michie Stadium on November 1
In a statement, Ms Brinkerhoff, speaking on behalf of the nation's oldest military academy, said that the cadets involved had been dealt with harshly.
She told USA Today: 'Although seen as a minor infraction by the NCAA, the U.S. Military Academy takes this very seriously and adjudicated this at the highest level of the disciplinary code.
'We adjudicated this under Article 10 of the Cadet Disciplinary Code and all cadets appeared before the Commandant's Disciplinary Board.'
However, the players involved - which include Army starting quarterback Angel Santiago - are expected to play against the Air Force Academy at West Point's Michie Stadium on November 1.
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