HARTFORD, Conn. _ The NCAA came down hard on former UConn men's basketball coach Kevin Ollie, charging him with three level-one violations, and issuing a three-year show-cause order that will effectively prevent him from coaching on the college level over that time.
The findings were released by the NCAA Tuesday afternoon, concluding an investigation of nearly two years. Going forward, the NCAA largely accepted UConn's self-imposed sanctions, the most severe of which is the loss of one scholarship for 2019-20. However, the NCAA also placed the UConn program on two-year probation, and UConn will have to vacate victories in which ineligible players participated. The seasons affected are 2016-17 and 2017-18, so UConn's most recent conference championship and NCAA appearances will not be vacated.
Though Ollie's contract dispute with UConn over the more than $10 million remaining on his contract is not over, these findings bolster UConn's contention that Ollie committed infractions that rise to the level of "just cause" for termination.
The show-cause order means that "an NCAA member school employing him must restrict him from any athletically related duties unless it shows cause why the restrictions should not apply."
"This case illustrates the importance of full candor and cooperation in the infractions process, as well as head coach control," the NCAA's committee on infractions said, in issuing its decision. "The former head coach faltered in both respects, increasing the severity of his violations and allowing violations within the program to occur for most of his tenure."
In addition to self-imposed sanctions, probation and vacation of records, there will be a reduction by one in the number of official visits recruits can make in the two-year period of 2018-20 and 2019-20.
According to the NCAA release, the violations primarily stemmed from three situations: pickup games exceeding preseason countable athletically related activity limits, a video coordinator counting as a coach, and a booster providing extra benefits to student-athletes. Ollie was charged with failure to monitor staff, failure to promote an atmosphere of compliance and unethical conduct, or providing false or misleading information to the NCAA.
Ollie refused to be interviewed a second time by the investigators, which factored in, perhaps worsening his penalties.
"We determined the coach was not forthcoming," said Joel Maturi, chief hearing officer for the panel and former Minnesota athletics director, in a conference call following the release of the findings. "(There was) the emphasis we've been asked to put on head coaches' responsibility, importance of being open, honest, candid, cooperative. If we're going to have the collegiate model we all want, those are important factors."
Maturi said the program's past infractions, which resulted in lost scholarships and a three-game suspension for then-coach Jim Calhoun, "was a factor" in determining the penalties this time.
University president Susan Herbst said the NCAA decision "validates UConn's actions and decision-making" but "this is a serious matter and nothing about it merits celebration. She added that it is "time to move on."
"We are looking forward to the future now that this process has come to a conclusion," athletic director David Benedict said in a statement. "Compliance and academic success are the paramount goals for our athletics program under our leadership. UConn's actions in this case were consistent with those values, and we will continue to adhere to highest standards of compliance and NCAA rules going forward."
Ollie's attorney, James Parenteau, issued a statement in response to the NCAA's findings. They plan to appeal the decision to the NCAA's infractions appeal committee, and look for the chance to cross-examine witness at an arbitration hearing.
"We are disappointed with the NCAA Committee on Infractions decision," the statement read, "but not surprised that the Committee acted to support its member institution in the dispute between the University of Connecticut and Kevin Ollie where more than $11 million is at stake."
Parenteau took issue with the process, claiming the NCAA ignored or rejected "every piece of exculpatory evidence" offered by his team and sided with UConn's witnesses "many of whom gave contradictory statements." He also claims factual errors and that "the NCAA process does not constitute due process."
UConn has 45 days to report to the NCAA on which games ineligible players participated during 2016-17 or 2017-18. All of the infractions involving ineligible players covered in this case took place during the spring and summer of 2016, which is why no earlier seasons are affected. The probation will not include any type of postseason ban.
