NCAA gives Cincinnati 2 years of probation

Indianapolis, IN – The University of Cincinnati received two years of probation among the sanctions handed down by the NCAA on Thursday for violations committed by the women's basketball and football programs.

Cincinnati self-discovered and self-reported the violations, which the NCAA said included 220 impermissible recruiting telephone calls.

The women's basketball program was cited for a major violation after a former assistant coach made 176 of the impermissible recruiting calls.

The coach received a show-cause order, restricting his recruiting ability at any NCAA member school.

Secondary violations were found in the women's basketball program for 24 impermissible calls, and the football program for 20 impermissible calls to 12 prospective players.

The NCAA-imposed probation will run from September 29, 2011, through September 28, 2013. In addition, the NCAA also gave the school a public reprimand and censure.

The remaining penalties were all self-imposed by the university and included:

- A limit of three women's basketball staff members performing recruiting coordination

- Prohibiting the head women's basketball coach from making calls to unsigned prospective student-athletes for a two-week period

- Prohibiting two assistant women's basketball coaches from making calls to unsigned prospective student-athletes for five- and one-week periods

- Reduction in the women's basketball coaching staff to three countable coaches for a six-month period during the 2010-11 season

- Prohibiting the football coaching staff from having recruiting telephone contact during four different time periods in 2011

- Prohibiting three assistant football coaches from making calls to prospective student-athletes during varying time periods in the summer of 2011.

Cincinnati said in a statement Thursday that the violations were reported as soon as they came to the attention of the athletics compliance department, which discovered the impermissible phone calls during a regular audit.

The assistant women's basketball coach was fired.

"It is the university's policy to follow ethical practices and adhere to the rules of the NCAA," Cincinnati president Dr. Gregory H. Williams said. "In this or any NCAA compliance matter, I expect UC to be up front, honest and accountable. I want to express my thanks to the NCAA Committee on Infractions for its consideration of our case."