NCAA fines UVa. men’s soccer $3,000, rules midfielder Ari Dimas ineligible

By Jimmy LaRoue

The NCAA has fined the University of Virginia athletics department $3,000 and ruled senior midfielder Ari Dimas ineligible after ruling that he had used up his eligibility by playing club soccer in 2008.

Dimas, as a freshman, played for the UVa. men’s club soccer team and joined the varsity team in 2009 as a walk-on. NCAA bylaws stipulate that Dumas’ club participation counted as a year of varsity competition since UVa. sponsored men’s soccer as a varsity sport.

Because Dumas played club soccer in 2008, and for the varsity UVa. squad from 2009-2011, the NCAA said his eligibility ended after the end of the 2011 season.

Though Dumas played in UVa’s first four regular season matches–along with two exhibition matches–the NCAA is allowing the results in those matches to stand.

Dimas played for the Cavaliers in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons. By NCAA bylaws, his eligibility expired following the conclusion of the 2011 season.

In his time at UVa. Dimas played 59 matches, starting 48, and was a starter on the 2009 national championship team, scoring the winning goal in the team’s third round win against Portland.

While Dimas has graduated the university with a double major in sociology and philosophy, he will stay on with the team as a volunteer coach while pursuing a master’s degree in commerce.

Dimas played high school soccer at Indian River in Chesapeake and club soccer for Chesapeake Select and later, Virginia Rush.

Here’s how Dimas landed on the UVa. men’s team after the 5-foot-5 inch player did not see a lot of interest coming out of high school due to his size.