Clemson track coach had deposited meet funds into a personal account

CLEMSON — The State Law Enforcement Division says Clemson track coach Bob Pollock deposited money from track meets into a personal bank account.

Although an investigation by SLED found that Pollock and assistant coach Charles Foster collected more than $27,000 worth of track fees that did not go to the university, 13th circuit solicitor Robert Ariail recommended that no charges be filed in the case — partly because the two coaches have already paid restitution to Clemson.

In May of 2007, SLED began an investigation involving a breach of trust at the behest of Clemson's university police department. According to SLED's report, Pollock and Foster conducted track meets and collected entry fees from high school and college athletes who were unaffiliated with Clemson.

Four months earlier, assistant women's track coach Glenn McAtee informed Clemson's internal auditing department that he had observed Pollock initiate "a pattern of systematic fraud and embezzlement" of athletic department funds, SLED said.

An audit by Clemson found that, from January 2004 to December 2006, a total of $27,397 worth of fees went unaccounted for — $24,872 from high school events and $2,525 from college events. According to SLED, Pollock told a superior that a previous administrator orally approved of his putting funds into a personal account, explaining that the duties related to running track meets were "extraordinary and tedious."

The report said that in February of 2007, Pollock and Foster agreed to a reduction of their salaries to reimburse Clemson for the missing funds. Athletic director Terry Don Phillips could not be reached Friday evening, but he has said he will evaluate the status of both coaches after the season.

SLED turned the case over to Ariail in July, according to the documents. Ariail said charges were not warranted because Clemson "disciplined and punished" Pollock and Foster.

The report said both coaches refused to provide statements to SLED during the investigation.

Ariail "strongly" suggested Clemson "review, clarify, amend and strengthen the existing policies that allowed this serious situation to develop."

Pollock and Foster were at the ACC outdoor championships in Atlanta on Friday and could not be reached for comment.

Reach Larry Williams at lwilliams@postandcourier.com and check out the new Clemson blog at www.charleston.net/blogs/tiger_tracks/