The NCAA says nine members of the University of Northern Colorado men's basketball staff, including former head coach B.J. Hill, committed academic fraud and violated recruiting rules between 2010 and 2014.
Violations included completing coursework for basketball prospects, paying for classes prospects needed so the prospects would become academically-eligible and arranging off-campus practice sessions with an academically-ineligible student-athlete, according to the NCAA.
On Friday the NCAA issued several penalties on the men's basketball program including:
- 3 years of probation from Dec. 15, 2017 to Dec. 14, 2020
- UNC must return all money from its 2011 D1 Men's Basketball Tournament appearance
- UNC must vacate all regular-season, conference tournament and postseason records in which ineligible athletes competed
- Postseason ban (self-imposed during 2016-17 season)
- Reduction of 3 scholarships during 2017-18, 2018-19 years
- Recruiting restrictions
- Show cause orders for the head coach and assistant coaches during the violations
While issuing the punishment, the NCAA commended Northern Colorado for "its exemplary cooperation throughout the processing of the case."
“Northern Colorado, under the strong leadership of its president, set an example for all member institutions in its handling of this case," the NCAA said.
B.J. Hill, who was fired from UNC in 2016, issued a statement on Twitter on Friday.
