UConn imposes sanctions on men’s team
Huskies lose scholarship for next season in response to NCAA allegations
STORRS — UConn is selfimposing sanctions on its men’s basketball program, including the loss of one scholarship for next season, in response to the NCAA allegations released in October.
The sanctions, announced Friday afternoon, have been expected for several months. Former coach Kevin Ollie was charged with unethical conduct, a level- one infraction, by the NCAA. While Ollie is charged with giving false or misleading information about infractions, the infractions themselves were less serious, levels two or three.
In self-imposing these sanctions, UConn, having fired Ollie, hopes to avoid more serious sanctions on the program by the NCAA, which still has the option of imposing its own remedies. Also, UConn remains embroiled in a legal dispute with Ollie over the payment of more than $10 million still owed by his contract.
“Our athletics department recognizes its responsibility to promote an atmosphere of honesty and integrity as it relates to NCAA compliance and beyond,” UConn athletic director David Benedict said. “We take these allegations very seriously and will continue to fully cooperate with the NCAA throughout this process.”
In its 44-page document Friday, prepared by the law firm Light-
foot, Franklin and White, UConn took responsibility for the infractions, but moved to distance itself from Ollie. To make its just-cause firing stick, in court or arbitration, UConn must prove it was terminating Ollie for these NCAA infractions, not simply the Huskies' losing seasons in 2016-17 and 2017-18.
“The violations committed by former coach Kevin Ollie and his staff are not in keeping with the University's commitment to compliance,” read a passage in the introduction. “Notably, while the university unequivocally accepts responsibility for the actions of its former coaching staff, there is no evidence that it either knew or should have known about the violations. ... The investigation revealed multiple instances demonstrating Ollie's increasingly cavalier attitude towards compliance.” UConn's sanctions include: Limiting permissible scholarships from 13 to 12 for next season.
A one-week ban on unofficial visits by recruits during the 201819 academic year.
A one-week ban on recruiting communications.
Cutting back official recruiting visits by one in 2018-19.
Reducing by four the number of recruiting person days, from 130 to 126, for coaches.
A $5,000 fine.
Prohibiting of student managers to attend pick-up basketball games involving men's team players after the season.
Providing violation-specific rules education.
The most serious of the sanctions is the reduction of one scholarship. Coach Dan Hurley was to have five available after the season and has already signed guards James Bouknight and Jalen Gaffney and gotten a commitment from wing Akok Akok, who is expected to enroll at UConn next week. With the reduction, he will have one left, unless there are transfers after the season.
“I understand the decision by our athletic administration to impose these penalties,” Hurley said. “We have been preparing for this eventuality and will make the necessary adjustments to move forward.”
With the academic year half over, and three Class of 2019 recruits landed, the restrictions in visits and recruiting travel could have some impact on Hurley's recruiting from future classes.
Ollie was fired on March 10, the university citing “just cause,” touching off the long battle over the remaining years and salary on his contract. When Hurley was hired, he was apprised of the possibility of sanctions, and his signed memo of agreement gives him the option of adding another year to his six-year contract if severe sanctions are imposed due to actions from the previous regime. These sanctions are within the scope of what was discussed.
In October, after an investigation that lasted more than a year into UConn's recruiting practices, the NCAA released its notice of allegations, charging Ollie multiple infractions, the most serious was proving false or misleading information regarding phone calls from Ray Allen and Rudy Gay to a recruit, and denying he had knowledge of players working with an outside trainer, Derrek Hamilton, in Storrs and Atlanta. Ollie could be sanctioned with a “show-cause” order, which would inhibit his ability to get a college coaching job.
The NCAA's Committee on Infractions will determine whether to support the allegations and what sanctions to impose on Ollie and/or UConn.
As Ollie's fight with UConn over the more than $10 million continues, and he has disputed the details of the allegations by the NCAA, which would appear to strengthen UConn's case. His lawyers filed a civil action alleging that the university has illegally attempted to deter him from filing a racial discrimination complaint. In the complaint, Ollie claims there was “disparate treatment” from that of his predecessor, Jim Calhoun, who kept his coaching job despite being found to have committed recruiting violations and is still employed as an adviser by UConn.
Ollie claims that after he informed UConn of his intention to file a complaint, the university said it would refuse to proceed with the contractual-grievance arbitration process. UConn has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
Jacques Parenteau, Ollie's attorney, issued a statement late Friday: “UConn's self-imposed 'slap on the wrist' is self-serving and disingenuous. UConn wants the NCAA to find against Coach Ollie because UConn thinks it will give the university a tactical advantage in the arbitration proceedings.”