The NCAA announced minor rules violations committed by both the men’s and women’s basketball programs at the University of Maryland.
In a release describing the “negotiated resolution” of the case — in which both Mayrland and NCAA enforcement staff agreed on the violations, the level of the violations, the classification and the penalties — the NCAA and Maryland agreed that the men’s program exceeded the number of permissible countable coaches, and that the women’s program used impermissible recruiting material with prospective student-athletes.
On the men’s side, a then-director of player personnel, who is now an assistant coach, provided shooting instruction to a player on 10 occasions without informing head coach Mark Turgeon, and also reportedly provided Turgeon with a verbal scouting report eight times. Both the assistant, who the Baltimore Sun identified as Matt Brady, and Turgeon agreed that in his player personnel role, Brady could not coach during practices — but neither realized film room sessions were against the rules.
In response, Brady must attend two regional rules seminars. The program will also reduce the number of athletically-related activities by one hour per week during the offseason, and two hours once back in season, as self-imposed by the school. Brady already received some punishment during last season — including having been suspended from six games and 15 practice sessions.
Meanwhile, the women’s program reportedly distributed recruiting booklets with personalized covers to 17 prospective student-athletes during unofficial visits. Head coach Brenda Frese said she didn’t correctly understand what could be reviewed in-person during visits. An assistant coach on the team also sent 150 personalized “tangible items” to prospects in violation of NCAA rules.
The penalties handed to the women’s program include self-imposed penalties of scholarship reductions, reduced official visits and prohibition of recruiting material distribution.
The school will also reportedly pay a $5,000 fine and face one year of probation.
