Idaho State University is alleging a third party has broken NCAA rules by communicating with other schools on behalf of former Bengal soccer star Maria Sanchez, who is looking to transfer to another college team.

ISU also alleges that the schools have violated NCAA rules by communicating with the third party.

ISU Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance Joel Vickery said he forwarded evidence of the rule-breaking to the Big Sky Conference, which asked the NCAA to investigate the alleged impermissible contact.

Sanchez and other schools cannot make contact with each other without ISU’s permission, according to NCAA rules. These rules also apply to any individual representing Sanchez, an American Falls native and one of the best soccer players in ISU’s history.

Vickery said on Friday he did not want to identify the third party or provide further details about the alleged NCAA rules violations because he did not want to hamper a future NCAA investigation. However, he did note one piece of evidence — approximately 50 inquiries ISU received from other colleges and universities regarding Sanchez after she announced in April she was leaving ISU and wanted to transfer to another school to continue her soccer career.

“How did that many schools get that information without what you’d call a third party helping her?” Vickery said.

Sanchez said the third party in question is a Mexico women’s national soccer team official, who has helped her through the transfer process such as letting her know what the top college soccer teams in the U.S. are. Sanchez denied anyone communicated with other schools for her.

Sanchez played with the Mexico women’s national team during the 2015 World Cup.

“He’s simply just an adviser,” said Sanchez about the Mexico national team official. “I asked him for help when I made the decision to leave Idaho State, but now they’re taking it as if he contacted schools for me.”

On Thursday Sanchez expressed frustration because ISU declined her request to talk to five schools she proposed: Florida State, Florida, Arizona State, Washington State and Notre Dame.

Sanchez, a junior-to-be, then asked the ISU appeal committee to let her communicate to any school that she was considering transferring to, but that request was also denied.

The reasoning for the denials was the third party and the alleged NCAA rules violations, said ISU soccer coach Allison Gibson.

Gibson said she wants nothing but the best for Sanchez and just wants to make sure rules are followed.

“I’m very confident that we have gone about all of this in the right way,” Gibson said. “Unfortunately not everyone understands the process, so they’re going to jump to their own conclusions and have their opinions in regards to the way it’s being handled.”

Gibson also responded to comments from Sanchez, who said ISU was holding her back from reaching her goal of becoming a professional soccer player. Sanchez also said she was more knowledgeable than the Bengals coaching staff.

Gibson said the comments from her former player came from “a place of hurt.”

“I don’t really care who believes me and who doesn’t, but my No. 1 concern is Idaho State soccer and Maria Sanchez and her future,” Gibson said. “I said it when I was the only person recruiting her. I said, ‘I want you to live your dreams. You’re a phenomenal soccer player. You’re a wonderful human being and you deserve to live your dream.’”

Gibson says Sanchez can continue to propose schools that she wants to contact regarding transferring. But the coach said she is now unsure about the process to approve contact between Sanchez and any school because of the alleged NCAA rules violations.

ISU officials said they do not want to get Sanchez in any trouble. The university’s focus is on the alleged NCAA rule-breaking by the third party and the schools trying to recruit Sanchez.

Sanchez’s college eligibility is not at stake, according to ISU.

“We just want to make sure any tampering that went on is dealt with,” Vickery said. “It’s really not about Maria. We want her to find success, but we also want it to be with a place we trust. And if someone is tampering and not doing it the right way, then we need to make sure they know that’s not right.”