Arizona acknowledges it has received NCAA Notice of Allegations
Arizona has reached the next step in the saga that is the federal investigation into corruption in college basketball. Friday afternoon the university acknowledged that it has received a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA enforcement staff confirming a Thursday morning report from Sports Illustrated that the program would soon be receiving that notice from the governing body of college sports.
UA will not be releasing the NOA or its details citing its desire "to protect the integrity of the ongoing enforcement process."
Arizona has been one of the last programs caught up in the FBI's investigation into college basketball corruption awaiting its NOA with several other high-profile programs already on to the next phase of the process. LSU and Alabama are the remaining two programs awaiting a notice.
North Carolina State, Kansas, Oklahoma State, USC, TCU, Louisville, South Carolina, Creighton and Auburn are the other programs that have been investigated and sent a notice of allegations by the NCAA although the last two of that group have yet to acknowledge receiving an NOA.
Thursday, Arizona head coach Sean Miller was asked about the report and asked whether or not he could confirm it had been received, but he declined to comment.
"I'm not gonna comment on anything that is around any investigation, and that's really what I'm called to do as a member of our athletic department," the longtime UA head coach said.
Arizona will now have 90 days to respond to the Notice of Allegations before the NCAA has another 60 days to respond to that before moving ahead with an infractions hearing. All told it will be several months before a resolution is reached and a punishment handed down by the NCAA, which could then be appealed by UA.
So far only one of the programs involved has received a punishment for its role in the scandal as Oklahoma State was given a one-year postseason ban in addition to other penalties that include a probationary period, scholarship reductions and a fine. The Cowboys' sanctions are the result of a Level I NCAA violation because of conduct from assistant coach Lamont Evans who was one of the college coaches charged in the FBI's case and served 90 days in prison last year because of it.
Former Arizona assistant coach Emanuel "Book" Richardson was another coach charged in the case and he also served three months in prison for his role along with being fired from from the Wildcats.
Miller has long denied any wrongdoing on his part despite claims made by an ESPN article in February 2018 that alleged Miller was recorded on FBI wiretaps discussing a $100,000 payment to Arizona star Deandre Ayton. Any such recordings have not ever been released or confirmed outside of ESPN's reporting.
"I have never paid a recruit or prospect or their family or representative to come to Arizona," Miller said in a press conference after the report was released. "I never have and I never will. ... I cannot remain silent in light of media reports that have impugned the reputation of me, the university and sullied the name of a tremendous young man, Deandre Ayton."
Arizona had previously confirmed last spring that it was one school under investigation by the NCAA confirming an earlier report from Yahoo! Sports that an investigation stemming from the federal case was underway last February.
Now that Arizona has acknowledged it has received an NOA, the Arizona Board of Regents also announced Friday afternoon that it has called a Monday meeting to discuss the allegations made by the NCAA.
“The board recognizes that the issuance by the NCAA of a Notice of Allegations is another step in its comprehensive enforcement process," ABOR Chair Larry E. Penley said in a statement. "Maintaining the integrity of the process, while frustratingly slow, has been and remains essential and we look forward to an expeditious resolution.
“The board has confidence in President Robbins and his commitment to the highest integrity in academic and athletic matters.”
****
> DISCUSS the article with other Arizona fans Inside McKale
> WATCH the latest videos from GOAZCATS.com and subscribe to our YouTube channel
> FOLLOW us on Twitter (@goazcatscom, @MattGOAZCATS)
> FOLLOW us on Instagram (@goazcats)
> LIKE us on Facebook
> SUBSCRIBE for all the latest Arizona Wildcats team and recruiting news (subscribe now)