UConn: NCAA finds 8 hoops violations - NCAA

STORRS, Conn. --Connecticut Huskies coach Jim Calhoun and the men's basketball
program he took from obscurity to national titles have been accused of eight
major NCAA infractions, with investigators citing hundreds of improper calls
and texts from UConn staff to recruits.

The school released a notice from the NCAA on Friday that lays out the
allegations against the Hall-of-Fame coach, his staff and the school. Besides
the calls and texts, the accusations include giving recruits improper
benefits and improperly distributing free tickets to high school coaches and
others. Calhoun is cited for failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance.

"It's not exactly, certainly anywhere near the high point of my career, as a
matter of fact it's certainly one of the lowest points at any time that you
are accused of doing something," said Calhoun, who has led the Huskies since
1986 and taken them to the Final Four three times. "It's a very serious
matter."

Athletic director Jeff Hathaway offered support for Calhoun and defended the
university.

"Let me be clear," he said. "The University of Connecticut is fully committed
to NCAA rules compliance and takes this matter very seriously. With regard to
coach Calhoun, he personally has a long-standing demonstrated commitment to
NCAA rules compliance."

The allegations come at the end of a 15-month investigation into the
recruiting of former player Nate Miles, who was expelled from UConn in
October 2008 without ever playing a game for the Huskies. He was charged with
violating a restraining order in a case involving a woman who claimed he
assaulted her.

The NCAA alleges 160 impermissible telephone calls and at least 191
impermissible text messages between recruits and coaches, including
assistants Beau Archibald, Patrick Sellers, Andre LeFler, associate head
coach George Blaney, and then-assistant Tom Moore, who is now the head coach
at Quinnipiac. Moore did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

UConn is to appear before the governing body on Oct. 15 to respond. Attorney
Rick Evrard, an outside counsel who advises UConn on NCAA-related matters,
said the school likely will spend the next three months reviewing the
allegations. He said if the school confirms them, it is obligated to impose
its own sanctions.

Evrard said that, in cases such as UConn's, penalties most often affect
recruiting and could include the loss of scholarships. They don't usually
include a ban on postseason play or the forfeiting of any games when there
was no competitive advantage obtained from the violations, he said.

Still, recruiting violations can devastate a program. Indiana overhauled its
famous basketball program -- from which it hasn't recovered -- after former
coach Kelvin Sampson was forced out in February 2008 when more than 100
impermissible calls to recruits came to light. Sampson had already been
sanctioned for recruiting violations while he was the coach at Oklahoma.

Among the allegations against UConn is that Archibald and Sellers provided
false and misleading information to NCAA investigators. Sellers and
Archibald, who served as director of basketball operations, have both
resigned. Hathaway said Archibald left last week and Sellers quit on Sunday.

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What UConn faces

This is a list of the alleged violations found by the NCAA during its
15-month investigation of the University of Connecticut men's basketball
program:

‧ Members of the men's basketball staff exchanged at least 160 impermissible
telephone calls and at least 191 impermissible text messages with recruits.

‧ Former student manager turned sports agent Josh Nockimson provided
impermissible benefits to a recruit.

‧ Beau Archibald, director of men's basketball operations, provided an
impermissible benefit by placing a 29-minute phone call to a person whose
name was redacted.

‧ Archibald provided false and misleading information to investigators.

‧ Assistant coach Patrick Sellers provided false and misleading information
to investigators.

‧ In 2007 and 2008 members of the men's basketball staff provided 26
impermissible complimentary admissions or discretionary tickets to high
school basketball coaches, other teachers or coaches of recruits, and a
friend of a recruit.

‧ Head coach Jim Calhoun failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance in
the men's basketball program and failed to adequately monitor the program to
ensure compliance with NCAA legislation regarding telephone calls, text
messages and benefits.

‧ The university, between 2005 and 2009 failed to adequately monitor the
conduct and administration of the men's basketball program.

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Huskies今年真是熱鬧，就算球季結束後，負面新聞還是依然不斷...

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