At the heart of N.C. State's case with the NCAA is what a former Adidas consultant testified in federal court was a $40,000 payment to the family of former basketball star Dennis Smith Jr. during the recruiting process.
In its response to N.C. State and former coach Mark Gottfried in the ongoing violations case, the NCAA outlined a pattern of consistent communication between T.J. Gassnola, the former Adidas consultant; Shawn Farmer, who was acting as a trainer for Smith and a go-between for Adidas and Smith's family; and the N.C. State coaching staff _ specifically Gottfried and former assistant coach Orlando Early _ during Smith's recruitment.
The 48-page response from the NCAA, dated Feb. 7 and released by N.C. State on Monday, sets up a showdown between the school and the NCAA's Committee on Infractions.
A hearing date has not been set but could be scheduled for later this month or in March.
"While we appreciate the NCAA Enforcement Staff's detailed response, N.C. State remains in strong disagreement with many of the characterizations and conclusions in their Enforcement Written Reply," N.C. State Chancellor Randy Woodson said in a statement released by the school. "As we have said throughout this process, we will vigorously defend the university where necessary and take ownership where appropriate. We look forward to a hearing with the infractions committee and the opportunity to make our case in person."
Former Adidas executive Jim Gatto was convicted of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in federal court in New York last spring after a wide-ranging FBI-probe into the sneaker company and its affiliated college basketball programs. Gassnola pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and was the government's key witness in Gatto's trial.
During the trial, Gassnola testified that he made a $40,000 payment to Early in Oct. 2015 and that Early was supposed to deliver the money to Farmer. The alleged payment was one of four violations outlined in the Notice of Allegations the NCAA sent to N.C. State in July.
The school and Gottfried, now a coach at Cal State-Northridge, separately responded to the NCAA in December. The documents released by N.C. State on Monday serve as the NCAA's response to both parties and sets up the pending hearing with the NCAA's COI. The penalty phase will follow the hearing.
