The National Junior College Athletic Association has ordered the 6th-ranked and unbeaten Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team to forfeit its first 13 of the season after ruling that one of its stars ineligible.

The NJCAA says 6-3 freshman Evgenia Samorodova from Russia played on a professional team or at least on a team with a professional player earlier this year. Samorodova played in 9 games for the Cougars, averaging 14.2 points and 7 rebounds a game.

WNCC Athletic Director Ryan Burgner says the NJCAA ruling “came as a surprise” because the school did extensive “due diligence” to verify the amateur status of all of its current players prior to the start of the season. WNCC has 15 days to appeal the ruling, and Burgner says they’ll use the time to investigate the allegations.

The forfeitures are for all games prior to last Saturday and leave the Cougars 1-13, but Burgner says WNCC is still eligible for the Region IX and national tournaments. In fact, since none of the forfeited victories were Region IX contests, the Cougars have a clean slate in the regional standings.

WNCC officials say while Samorodova is not on the team, she is still a student at the college.