The University of Georgia received an official letter of inquiry on Jan. 5 from the NCAA about the association’s ongoing investigation into the men’s basketball program. The investigation was launched this past spring after charges of improper benefits and academic assistance were made by a former player.
During its 10-month investigation, the NCAA found four possible rules violations:
- in the summer of 2001, former assistant coach Jim Harrick Jr. provided $300 in a wire transfer payment to a friend of the former player for that player’s expenses;
- Harrick Jr. “failed to deport himself with the generally recognized high standards normally associated with the conduct and administration of intercollegiate athletics and violated the NCAA principles of ethical conduct for his involvement in allegation number 1”;
- during the fall of 2001-02, Harrick Jr. fraudulently awarded grades of “A” to three men’s basketball players in a basketball course he taught; and
- in December 2001, six men’s basketball players received extra benefits by making $1,572.66 worth of personal long-distance telephone calls from three team hotels.
In the aftermath of an internal investigation at UGA, Harrick Jr.’s contract was not renewed and his father, Jim Harrick Sr., resigned as head coach of the men’s basketball team. UGA President Michael F. Adams and Vince Dooley, director of athletics, also withdrew the team from the SEC and NCAA tournaments.
“This has been a cooperative investigation in which the university has been fully involved with the NCAA from the beginning. As a result of that cooperative effort, the university is fully aware of each of the allegations,” according to a statement issued by UGA and the Athletic Association.
“The university will file a timely response as requested and looks forward to bringing this matter to a resolution. The university is convinced it has acted responsibly in its actions to date in this matter and that the completion of this process will affirm that.”
The university has until March 2 to respond to the allegations, which are expected to be heard by the NCAA Committee on Infractions during its April meeting in Indianapolis.