University of South Florida cross country coach Melissa Miller resigned Tuesday, the same day the school self-reported two secondary NCAA violations in Miller’s program.

According to documents sent to the NCAA, Miller recruited distance runner Adam Hortian to the track team with the offer of “highly recommending” him for a 2008-09 graduate assistant coaching position that did not exist. Also, Hortian illegally ran for USF during the outdoor season after accepting prize money at a February road race in St. Petersburg.

The school’s investigation was prompted by inquiries from The Tampa Tribune.

Hortian said he transferred from Iona to USF with one year of eligibility remaining because he was promised the GA position.

Hortian received a letter on May 30, 2007, purportedly signed by head track coach Warren Bye and Miller stating they would “highly recommend” him for the position and describing a job that offered a “full-time graduate tuition waiver and $15,000 annual stipend.”

Miller sent both documents to Hortian without Bye’s knowledge and forged his signature, USF assistant athletic director Chris Freet said.

Initially, USF senior associate AD Barry Clements believed the job description document “was bogus” and created by Hortian, until he was presented the accompanying recommendation letter by a Tribune reporter.

On Feb. 23, Hortian won the Suncoast Classic’s 10-kilometer race. He said he collected the $600 first prize by having the check made out to his girlfriend.

Hortian said he knew he was breaking NCAA rules by accepting the prize money, but did so with Miller’s knowledge.

“I had to pay the rent,” Hortian said.

Miller said she “knew nothing” about Hortian accepting money. However, she told the Tribune last week that Hortian told her of a way he could accept the money in another person’s name.

“He had an idea to race and have the prize money in someone else’s name,” Miller said.

Miller did not notify USF’s compliance office of Hortian’s plan. She spoke to Hortian after the race and knew he won, but said she did not know he took the money.

Competing for USF this spring, Hortian ran in four meets between March 21 and April 19. Because he competed illegally, USF informed the NCAA it would delete Hortian from the school’s track and field record books.

Bye, who hired Miller as cross country coach and assistant track coach, refused to comment. Miller came to USF in 2006 after one year as an assistant at Saginaw Valley State.

Lockwood suffers broken finger: USF freshman OF Ryan Lockwood, who owns the nation’s longest hitting streak at 30 games, suffered a broken left index finger Saturday against St. John’s. Lockwood, of Jesuit, will not bat the rest of the season, but is available for pinch running duty.

The Bulls, who lost at Florida 12-2 Tuesday, close the regular season at home with three games against Notre Dame starting Thursday.