The NCAA will restore 111 wins to former coach Joe Paterno’s record and restructure the historic $60 million fine it imposed on Pennsylvania State University in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal, officials said Friday.

The deal ends at least two of the ongoing legal battles that erupted after the 2012 sanctions were imposed and marks a victory for thousands of Penn State alumni and supporters of the late coach and his teams. It again makes Paterno, who died in January 2012, the winningest coach in major college football history.

State Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, who brought one of the lawsuits challenging the sanctions, called it “a total repeal” of the consent decree both sides signed about six months after allegations emerged that Sandusky, a longtime Paterno assistant, was a serial pedophile.

“Today is a victory for due process, which was not afforded in this case,” said Corman, whose district includes State College. “Today is a victory for the people of Pennsylvania. Today is a victory for Penn State Nation. The NCAA has surrendered.”

The news broke as the lawsuit by Corman and State Treasurer Rob McCord was poised to go trial next month in Commonwealth Court. The settlement was quickly approved by officials from the NCAA and Penn State, whose governing bodies met Friday in State College and Washington.

“Continuing this litigation would further delay the distribution of funds to child sexual abuse survivors for years, undermining the very intent of the fine,” said Harris Pastides, University of South Carolina president and member of the NCAA Board of Governors.

In its announcement, the NCAA said the deal replaces the 2012 consent decree but that the university “acknowledges NCAA’s legitimate and good faith interest and concern regarding the Jerry Sandusky matter.”

It also said the school would enter into an “athletic integrity agreement” that included retaining former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell as a monitor.

“I am pleased to learn that financial resources to help child sexual abuse survivors will soon become available,” Mitchell, who had been monitoring the school’s progress, said in a statement. “I remain impressed with Penn State’s progress to date and look forward to its many reforms and improvements continuing to take root.”

The NCAA said that under the new deal Penn State agreed “to commit a total of $60 million to activities and programs for the prevention of child sexual abuse and the treatment of victims of child sexual abuse.” It did not specify where or how the money would be spent, but Corman said the money will be spent on programs and services in Pennsylvania.

“This money will help our community and communities across Pennsylvania to recognize how these (sexual) predators operate,” he said.

Still looming are other legal battles — civil and criminal — that flowed from the Sandusky case and its aftermath. A spokesman for Paterno’s family released a statement praising Corman and McCord, but pledging to continue its fight to clear the coach’s name.

“For nearly three years, everyone associated with Penn State has had to bear the mark of shame placed upon the institution by the NCAA,” the statement said. “It was a grievously wrong action, precipitated by panic, rather than a thoughtful and careful examination of the facts.

Corman said he did not know if the decision would affect the still looming perjury and conspiracy trials of former Penn State President Graham B. Spanier and two other administrators who are accused of covering up Sandusky’s crimes.

“I don’t know if they are innocent or not — we’ll find out through the court proceeding,” Corman said.

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(Inquirer staff writers Jon Tamari and Jeremy Roebuck contributed to this report.)

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