UM

UM/NCAA INVESTIGATION

NCAA allegations against current, former Miami Hurricanes surface

 

Charges against the University of Miami include accepting money and ‘unethical conduct’ by coaches

WEB VOTE Who looks the worst amid the NCAA's investigation of the Miami Hurricanes program?

sdegnan@MiamiHerald.com

In Missouri, Haith — now the coach at the University of Missouri — told reporters Tuesday after his team’s win against Florida that he had received his Notice of Allegations, and that “contrary to what was reported, there was no unethical conduct in my notice of allegation. And it is just an allegation. So we get a chance to defend ourselves. The biggest thing I want to tell you is, I’m glad this thing is almost over with.”

His notice said that “Haith was aware that Shapiro threatened that unless Morton … or Haith provided money to Shapiro, Shapiro would make public a claim that Shapiro provided money to assist in the recruitment of a men’s basketball prospective student-athlete. After learning of the threat, Haith failed to alert anyone in the athletics department administration about Shapiro’s threat, ask reasonable questions of Morton to ensure that Shapiro’s claim lacked merit or disclose the fact that Morton engaged in financial dealings with Shapiro.

“Rather, Haith gave Morton funds that Morton then provided to Shapiro.”

In Tuscaloosa, the University of Alabama emailed The Miami Herald on Wednesday evening saying the school “has not received any communications from the NCAA” regarding director of football operations Joe Pannunzio — a former Miami assistant tied to Shapiro — “or the NOA issued to Miami.”

Western Kentucky’s release of Morton’s Notice of Allegations, like Haith’s, came with an accompanying letter from the NCAA to the school’s president.

“Although there is no institutional responsibility on the part of Western Kentucky for possible violations involving Mr. Morton,” NCAA managing director of enforcement Rachel Newman-Baker wrote in a Feb. 19-dated corresponding letter to WKU president Gary A. Ransdell, “please be advised that action could be taken that would limit Mr. Morton’s athletically related duties at Western Kentucky for a designated period if he is found in violation by the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions or the NCAA Division I Infractions Appeals Committee.”

The “basketball allegations” for Morton include four specific situations, according to the NCAA’s notice, that took place between October 2007 and April 2009.

But those allegations did not include Shapiro’s claim that he gave Morton $10,000 to forward to a family member of former UM forward DeQuan Jones in an effort to secure his commitment.

Between October 2008 and April 2009, according to the NCAA, among the alleged violations that occurred:

“Jake Morton and Jorge Fernandez, then assistant men’s basketball coaches, allowed Shapiro … to promote the institution’s athletics programs and to assist the institution in the recruitment of three men’s basketball prospective student-athletes,” and also “provided impermissible inducements in the form of transportation and entertainment to individuals associated with the prospective student-athletes” — including “in-person, off-campus recruiting contact in Shapiro’s suite at Dolphin Stadium during a home football game with the boys’ basketball coach of a recruit.”

The allegations for Morton end with this:

It is alleged that between October 2007 and October 2008, Jake Morton, then assistant men’s basketball coach, accepted supplemental income in the amount of at least $6,000” from Shapiro.

Newman-Baker’s letter to WKU president Ransdell concluded by saying that WKU representatives “will be provided an opportunity to attend the Committee on Infractions hearing” in the future, and that they would be notified “well in advance.”

The allegations for an individual involved in the case just state the specific charges for that person. UM has received the entire package of allegations — including the ones for each individual.

Former UM equipment manager Sean Allen did not receive a Notice of Allegations because the information he provided during a deposition was tossed out after the NCAA acknowledged it was obtained improperly.

Miami Herald sports writer Barry Jackson contributed to this report.

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