Connecticut files response with NCAA

Sep 7, 2010 - 10:10 PM By PAT EATON-ROBB Associated Press Writer

STORRS, Conn. (AP) -- Connecticut filed its response Tuesday to allegations of major recruiting violations in its men's basketball program, but won't make that response public this week.

Tuesday was the deadline for the Huskies to respond to the eight infractions cited by the NCAA in May.

UConn spokesman Kyle Muncy said the response fills up several three-ring binders. He said some information given to the NCAA must be redacted before the report is made public in order to comply with state and federal privacy laws.

He would not say if the school had self-imposed sanctions or plans to fight any of the NCAA findings.

The Associated Press filed a Freedom of Information request Tuesday seeking the summary pages of the report. Under state law, the school has 10 days to respond.

"There will not be a piecemeal release of this report," Muncy said.

He said the university plans to post the response on its website once it has been vetted by school compliance officials, and then hold an availability to discuss the details.

The school's compliance office had not yet received a copy of the report Tuesday afternoon. Because of the size of the report and the observance of this week's Jewish holidays, that job is not expected to be completed until next week at the earliest, officials said.

The NCAA conducted a 15-month investigation of the basketball program after a report by Yahoo! Sports in March 2009 that former team manager Josh Nochimson helped guide player Nate Miles to Connecticut, giving him lodging, transportation, meals and representation.

Miles enrolled at UConn, but never played. He was expelled in October 2008.

The investigation found eight major recruiting violations, including hundreds of impermissible telephone calls and text messages between recruits and coaches. Beau Archibald, who was the head of basketball operations at the school, and assistance coach Patrick Sellers resigned just before the report became public.

Besides the calls and texts, the accusations include giving recruits improper benefits and wrongly distributing free tickets to high school coaches and others. Head coach Jim Calhoun was cited for failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance.

Calhoun, Archibald and Sellers were expected to submit their own responses.

UConn as an institution was cited for not adequately monitoring "the conduct and administration of the men's basketball staff in the areas of: telephone records, representatives of the institution's athletics interests; and, complimentary admissions or discretionary tickets."

A hearing before the NCAA infractions committee is scheduled for Oct. 15.