Louisville Gets One-Year Ban From Postseason Play
September 23, 1998|
From Staff and Wire Reports
The NCAA banned the Louisville men's basketball team from postseason play for a year Tuesday and put the school on three years' probation because of rule violations.
The two violations in the men's basketball and seven in women's volleyball programs involved extra benefits, recruiting, financial aid, institutional control and ethical conduct.
The Division I Committee on Infractions handed down other penalties as well, among them a reduction of scholarships in both sports.
The basketball program's postseason ban also will include this season's Conference USA tournament.
"We had nearly 100% agreement with the NCAA enforcement staff on all facts of the case," said John Shumaker, university president. "The NCAA's response has been tough but the sanctions are fair and I respect their conclusions."
The allegations came to light early last year and, after an investigation that produced hundreds of pages of testimony, the NCAA in April issued a formal letter of inquiry into both programs.
The university acknowledged seven of the volleyball infractions involving recruiting violations and rules prohibiting extra benefits for athletes or their families. It disagreed with the two other allegations, that it did not sufficiently educate volleyball Coach Leonid Yelin about NCAA rules and that then-assistant basketball coach Scooter McCray obtained a discounted hotel rate for the father of forward Nate Johnson.
Louisville was put on probation for two years in 1996 after an investigation unearthed questions about former basketball player Samaki Walker's use of two cars in 1995.
Because the new violation involving the basketball program occurred within five years of the starting date of the previous penalties, the committee applied its repeat-violator provisions to the case.
"Certainly, I'm deeply disappointed and saddened by the decision," Coach Denny Crum said in a statement. "Regardless of the outcome of the decision,
I am ultimately responsible for our basketball program and I feel bad that it has had such a negative effect on our program and this university."
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