The NCAA Division I Infractions Appeals Committee confirmed the finding that the former Southern California associate head men's basketball coach violated ethical conduct and representation legislation when he accepted cash bribes to direct Southern California basketball student-athletes to a business management company.
On April 15, 2021, the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions issued its decision regarding the former associate head coach. After the committee issued this decision, the former associate head coach filed a timely notice of appeal asserting that the violation found by the committee (unethical conduct and representing an individual in marketing athletics ability or reputation) should be set aside because the finding was clearly contrary to the information presented to the hearing panel. The former associate head coach did not appeal any of the prescribed penalties.
The hearing panel argued that the finding of the violation was supported by the former associate head coach's admissions made in federal court and in the beginning of the infractions process. It was not until the end of the infractions process that the former associate head coach radically changed his position and argued that he did not violate ethical conduct rules. This change occurred late in the infractions process and was not supported by previous federal court admissions and statements - further undermining the former associate head coach's appeal arguments.
The Infractions Appeals Committee agreed with the hearing panel, noting the previous federal court admissions and the former associate head coach's failure to demonstrate the finding was contrary to the information presented. Therefore, the finding of the violation regarding unethical conduct and representing an individual in marketing athletics ability or reputation was upheld.
The members of the Infractions Appeals Committee who heard this case were Jonathan Alger, president at James Madison; Alejandra Montenegro Almonte, attorney in private practice; Tom Goss, insurance chairman and executive; W. Anthony Jenkins, attorney in private practice; Allison Rich, acting committee chair of the Division I Infractions Appeals Committee and senior associate athletics director and senior woman administrator at Princeton; David Shipley, faculty athletics representative at Georgia; and Julie Vannatta, senior associate general counsel for athletics/senior associate athletics director at Ohio State.
