In detail, the self-sanctions UA self-imposed and the NCAA’s ultimate decision:
1. Two years' probation beginning Feb. 5, 2010, when UA submitted its official response to the NCAA allegations. The NCAA changed the probation period from today through July 28, 2012.
2. Reducing official recruiting visits from the maximum of 12 to 11 in 2009-10 and to eight for 2010-11. (The UA said the higher number in 2009-10 reflects the number already used at the time of their response). The NCAA increased the reductions to six visits for each of the 2010-11 and 2011-12 recruiting years.
3. Reducing recruiting "person-days" from the maximum of 130 to 120 in 2009-10 and to 110 in 2010-11. The NCAA increased the reduction to 100 days in 2010-11.
4. Reducing recruiting person-days from 60 to 52 this July. The NCAA did not change this; the July period is almost over.
5. Reducing scholarships from the maximum of 13 to 12 for 2011-12. The NCAA also took away a scholarship for the 2012-13 season.
6. Institutional recertification that the UA's current policies and practices conform to NCAA requirements.
The NCAA also ordered a disassociation between UA and the promoter of the Arizona Cactus Classic, former goazcats.com publisher Jim Storey, for at least the two years of probation. In addition, it ordered vacating the UA wins in 2007-08 by the ineligible athletes.
A summary of the four violations the NCAA found in its final report issued Thursday:
1. Impermissible inducements and tryouts. The NCAA said it and the UA agreed that former coach Lute Olson solicited support for four events held by former Goazcats.com publisher Jim Storey - three Arizona Cactus Classic showcases and a one-time game between two high-profile high school teams. The NCAA said reconstructed records showed the UA Rebounders Club paid a total of $197,000 to support these events with Olson's assistance.
2. Impermissible recruiting activities. The NCAA found the activities of two incoming assistant coaches - unnamed in the report but believed to be Russ Pennell and Mike Dunlap - constituted major violations contrary to the UA's belief that they were secondary. The NCAA defined both coaches as "countable" by their actions in the days before they joined the UA payroll, then stated they watched the Cactus Classic as countable coaches. The Cactus Classic fell during a quiet recruiting period that does not allow coaches to evaluate.
3. Failure to promote an atmosphere of compliance. The NCAA said it disagreed with the UA in that Olson simply failed to correctly understand and apply certain elements of NCAA legislation, saying he had "many years of NCAA rules education and annually took the required recruiting test" and did not check with the UA compliance office to see if his interaction with Storey posed a problem. The NCAA also said Olson took "proactive" steps to ensure the Rebounders knew how important the event was to his program.
4. Failure to monitor. The NCAA said the UA committed a violation by giving Storey access to Rebounders Club boosters and use of an office adjacent to the men's basketball offices. It said the UA did not provide specific guidance regarding the Cactus Classic and did not educate the Rebounders board. Further, the NCAA noted that a UA associate AD for development did not report Olson's statement to the Rebounders Club of a need to "step up" and support the Cactus Classic.
The NCAA's original Notice of Allegations made six claims
1 Olson encouraged UA boosters and Rebounders Club members to donate money to Storey's tournaments, and that money was used for food, lodging and housing for athletes.
2 Olson had future assistant coaches Mike Dunlap and Russ Pennell attend the 2008 Cactus Classic.
3 Former assistant Miles Simon initially refused an NCAA interview before eventually meeting with the organization.
4 Olson lied when asked by UA compliance officer Bill Morgan if he wrote a letter asking for funds.
5 Olson failed to monitor his program's compliance.
6 Arizona didn't monitor the basketball program's involvement in the events. Storey paid a portion of high schoolers' lodging, meals and local transportation with Rebounders money.
The self-sanctions UA initially self-imposed
1 Two years' probation beginning Feb. 5, 2010, when the school submitted its official response to the NCAA allegations.
2 Reducing official recruiting visits from the maximum of 12 to 11 in 2009-10 and to eight for 2010-11. (The UA said the higher number in 2009-10 reflects the number already used at the time of its response).
3 Reducing recruiting "person-days" from the maximum of 130 to 120 in 2009-10 and to 110 in 2010-11.
4 Reducing recruiting person-days from 60 to 52 this July.
5 Reducing scholarships from the maximum of 13 to 12 for 2011-12.
6 Institutional recertification that the UA's current policies and practices conform to NCAA requirements.
Bruce Pascoe
