Per the University of Louisville athletics website (GoCards.com), the NCAA has sent Louisville their official Notice of Allegations paperwork. The Notice of Allegations regard the 2016-17 & 2017-18 men’s basketball seasons. The NCAA had a two year investigation that was a product of the United State Department of Justice investigation.
Per the website, the Level 1 allegation includes: an improper recruiting offer, and subsequent extra benefits to the family of an enrolled student athlete; and a recruiting inducement to a prospective student-athlete’s non-scholastic coach/trainer, were provided by certain individuals, purportedly identified and defined by the NCAA as “representatives of the university’s athletics interests”, none of whom had traditional connections to the University beyond their affiliation with Adidas or professional athlete management entities, as well as by a former assistant coach and a former associate head coach;
Also, there were three Level 2 allegations that include impermissible transportation from staff members, inadequate monitoring of the recruitment on incoming student-athletes, and that Rick Pitino did not satisfy his head coaching duties by failing to promote an environment of compliance.
Since all the previous trouble with the NCAA began, the University of Louisville has gone above and beyond to be in compliance with the NCAA. Per the GoCards.com website, the University had made the following compliance efforts:
- The University changed its leadership on campus, in athletics and in the men’s basketball program, as part of a series of personnel, systematic and cultural changes.
- Athletics Compliance now reports outside of athletics directly to the Vice President for Risk Management, Audit and Compliance.
- All counsel for Athletics now reports directly through the office of the University’s General Counsel.
- The University completely revised the Head Coach contract language regarding NCAA compliance expectations, particularly as it relates to Head Coach responsibility.
- The Department of Athletics enhanced rules education and compliance monitoring for all staff.
- Compliance staff provided in-person rules education to the University Board of Trustees and to the ULAA Board.
- Compliance staff provided in-person rules education to the President’s Leadership Team and to other key University offices.
- The Department of Athletics began an ethical leadership series required for all athletics staff.
- The University placed a renewed emphasis on the faculty-led Committee on Academic Performance.
- The University remains committed to complete and transparent reform.
- None of the men’s basketball staff members involved in the allegations remain at the University.
- Neither of the involved men’s basketball prospects referenced in the allegations ever represented U of L in competition.
Louisville has 90 to contest the NCAA allegations, and the NCAA has 60 days to respond to Louisville’s response.
