Anwar Phillips, the Penn State football player charged with sexual assault and aggravated indecent assault, did not break any eligibility rules by playing in the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1.

Phillips, a sophomore from Germantown, Md., allegedly sexually assaulted an acquaintance in her on-campus apartment on the morning of Nov. 12. An investigation began when the woman went to University Health Services later that morning to report the incident.

According to a statement released by Penn State yesterday, Phillips accepted responsibility for the charges of sexual assault before the Office of Judicial Affairs on Dec. 12. The university sanctioned Phillips with a two-semester temporary expulsion, beginning with the spring semester.

The university statement reads: "As normal practice for a case with these particular circumstances -- which federal law does not permit us to go into detail about -- the two-semester temporary expulsion began with the start of the next semester, the spring semester."

Phillips will be eligible to re-enroll following finals week of the second summer session, said university spokesman Tysen Kendig. The two, six-week summer sessions are considered one semester under the conditions of the expulsion.

Penn State Sports Information Director Jeff Nelson said in January that Phillips had left school for "personal reasons" but was expected to report in August for practice.

Kendig said he was unsure if football coach Joe Paterno was aware of the expulsion in December.

"I'm sure that the university was in contact with the athletic department in some way," he said. "But as for specifics, only they can tell you."

Nelson said that the athletic department would not discuss the issue at this time.

Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley said he could not comment because Paterno is handling the incident. Assistant head coach Fran Ganter confirmed that report.

The annual spring practice press conference with Paterno is scheduled for today at 12:30 p.m.

The preliminary hearing for the Phillips case is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. today at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte.

Phillips participated in the two regular-season games following the Nov. 12 incident.

He returned an interception 52 yards in Penn State's Nov. 15 game at Indiana and recorded one assisted tackle against Michigan State on Nov. 22.

Phillips traveled with the team in December to Orlando, Fla., and played in Penn State's Jan. 1 Capital One Bowl loss to Auburn. Phillips recorded one pass defensed in that game.

The university guidelines for punishing sexual offense cases involving penetration say that it is a major violation and calls for a minimum of temporary expulsion.

The procedures for the disciplinary system say that a student punished by temporary expulsion is prohibited from enrolling in or attending classes, living in an on-campus residence and using university facilities for the length of the suspension.

However, the restriction on use of the facilities may be rescinded with special permission in writing from the director of Judicial Affairs or a designee.

A call to the address listed for Phillips on the criminal complaint was not returned.