Jim Calhoun Banned For Three Big East Games in 2011-12

The NCAA has finally handed down the penalties from the whole Nate Miles fiasco on the UConn Huskies men’s basketball program. And while UConn self-imposed some sanctions, the NCAA made a few changes to them.

First off, UConn Huskies men’s basketball coach Jim Calhoun has been suspended for the first three Big East games of the 2011-2012 season. This is because the NCAA found that Calhoun failed to create a culture of compliance at UConn.

Secondly, the instead of two years probation as UConn self-imposed, the NCAA has placed them on three years probation. Thirdly, instead of two years with a reduction of one scholarship, UConn will have to go three years with one less scholarship.

The good thing out of all of this is the fact that there won’t be a postseason ban. This is huge because the UConn men are in the midst of a special season, a season which nobody saw coming.

Now the penalties from the NCAA have been handed down from this mess, it’s time to move on.

A full look at the NCAA sanctions along with reactions from UConn can be found by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Here’s the full list of NCAA sanctions:

• Public reprimand and censure.
• Three years of probation from February 22, 2011, through February 21, 2014. The public infractions report further details the conditions of this probation.
• The head coach must be suspended from all coaching duties for the first three conference games of the 2011-12 season. He cannot be present in the arena where the games are played and cannot have contact with the coaching staff or student-athletes during the games.
• Two-year show-cause order for the former operations director (Beau Archibald) (February 22, 2011, through February 21, 2013). The public report further details the conditions of this penalty.
• Permanent disassociation of the involved booster. The public infractions report includes further details.
• Reduction of men’s basketball athletics scholarships from 13 to 12 for the 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years.
• Ban on men’s basketball recruiting calls during the 2011-12 academic year until 30 days after the first day that phone calls are allowed.
• Reduction in the number of men’s basketball coaches allowed to make phone calls from three to two, not including the head basketball coach, for six months after the university’s response to the notice of allegations (self-imposed by the university).
• Reduction of the number of men’s basketball off-campus recruiting days by 40, from 130 to 90, for the 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 recruiting periods.
• Limit of five official paid visits for men’s basketball for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years.
• The head coach, assistant coach and all members of the compliance staff must attend the NCAA Regional Rules Seminar.

The members of the Committee on Infractions who reviewed this case include Dr. Dennis Thomas, the commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and chair of the Committee on Infractions. Other members are Britton Banowsky, commissioner of Conference USA; John S. Black, attorney; Eleanor Myers, faculty athletics representative and law professor at Temple University; Josephine (Jo) R. Potuto, the Richard H. Larson Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Nebraska College of Law; Roscoe C. Howard, Jr., attorney; and James O’Fallon, law professor and faculty athletics representative for University of Oregon

Timeline of the NCAA investigation

Reactions from UConn:

Statement from President Philip E. Austin:

This is deeply disappointing to the UConn community. Let me be very clear, we will comply fully with the NCAA’s sanctions and work with great resolve to restore the luster to our men’s basketball program.

Statement from Director of Athletics Jeffrey A. Hathaway:

We have worked closely with the NCAA from the time we learned of the allegations.

When we submitted our response to the NCAA Committee on Infractions acknowledging violations in the men’s basketball program, we immediately self-imposed a series of penalties and corrective measures that are included as part of the NCAA Committee on Infractions report. We are disappointed that the Committee determined that additional penalties needed to be imposed.

We value the principles of the NCAA and fully recommit ourselves to running a program of impeccable integrity.

Statement from Head Basketball Coach Jim Calhoun:

I am very disappointed with the NCAA’s decision in this case. My lawyer and I are evaluating my options and will make a decision which way to proceed.

In the meantime, I will not make any further statements about the case as our program prepares for what I hope will be an exciting and successful postseason.