NCAA and University of Pittsburgh Announce Negotiated Resolution Agreement
PITTSBURGH—The NCAA and University of Pittsburgh have announced a negotiated resolution of Level II violations committed by Pitt’s men’s basketball and football programs between August 2015 and March 2018. Upon the University’s discovery of these violations, Pitt Athletics self-reported the violations to the NCAA and a cooperative investigation was launched, concluding with today’s required announcement.
The University’s proactive and prompt approach, as well as its pre-existing system of compliance methods and rules adherence, were acknowledged by the NCAA.
Click Here The NCAA’s news release detailing the violations and resolution can be accessed .
The violations include:
- Between June 2016 and March 2018, the former head men’s basketball coach instructed and permitted non-coaching staff members to regularly perform NCAA-defined coaching duties that included providing coaching instruction to men’s basketball student-athletes at practice, leading film review sessions with student-athletes and providing coaching input at halftime of competitions. As a result, the men’s basketball program exceeded the permissible number of countable coaches.
- At the direction of the former head coach, the men’s basketball program actively attempted to hide the violations and intentionally deleted practice film to avoid detection of such violations.
- Between May 2017 and September 2017, the men’s basketball program produced personalized recruiting videos for 12 men’s basketball prospective student-athletes, showing the videos to prospects during their visits to campus.
- Between August 2015 and November 2017, the head football coach was present at the football practice facility when three quality control members engaged in impermissible coaching activities, which included occasionally throwing footballs and holding play cards for the scout teams during practices. As a result, the football program exceeded the permissible number of countable coaches.
- The head football coach asked a quality control staff member to help out during a segment of practice drills occurring between October 22, 2017, and November 23, 2017. As a result, the football program exceeded the permissible number of countable coaches.
As a result of these violations, the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Athletics has been placed on probation for three years, concluding on February 19, 2023. The University will not be subject to any scholarship reductions or postseason restrictions in either sport.
The University of Pittsburgh remains steadfast in its commitment to achieving excellence in athletics while fostering a culture of integrity and NCAA compliance.
Pitt Director of Athletics Heather Lyke:
“Pitt Athletics is steadfastly committed to integrity and NCAA rules compliance. A reflection of that strong commitment is the fact that, upon discovering these violations, we immediately provided a self-report to the NCAA and began a cooperative and thorough review. While disappointed in the violations, I am confident that our already-strong culture of compliance will help each of our programs avoid such situations in the future.”
Pitt Football Coach Pat Narduzzi:
“As head coach of the University of Pittsburgh football program, I am wholeheartedly committed to following NCAA rules and preventing these types of issues from happening again. I fully recognize my responsibility in what occurred and, equally important, how those missteps will be corrected as we proceed forward.”
Link: NCAA Negotiated Resolution
(This story and information courtesy of Pitt Athletics)
