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发帖数: 764 | 1 ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)—A Central Florida athletics department spokesman said
its compliance department has been contacted by the NCAA amid reports of
possible improper recruiting activities.
But associate director of athletics for communications Joe Hornstein said
there hasn’t been an on-campus visit by the NCAA regarding the basketball
or football programs.
UCF confirms it is conducting an internal review of recruiting practices by
its programs following reports by the New York Times and ESPN.com detailing
a link with Ken Caldwell, who reportedly has ties with ASM sports agency.
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New York City. The ING New York City Marathon, will be the seven time Tour
de France winner's first marathon. On April 19, 2011 it was announced that
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The reports also said that Caldwell helped push athletes toward UCF and
arranged to have coaches listen to conversations with some players—which
would violate NCAA rules.
“We take the current allegations of NCAA violations very seriously,”
Hornstein said in a statement on the allegations. “Our review of this
matter began immediately upon receiving notice. It is premature for us to
provide comment regarding these allegations at this time, without having the
opportunity to thoroughly and completely review the facts. Following our
review we will appropriately address this matter.”
Hornstein said there is no timetable to complete its internal probe, as they
are “still in information-gathering mode.”
UCF athletics director Keith Tribble was attending an athletics tour stop
and unavailable for comment.
A phone message left with Caldwell seeking comment was not returned.
UCF’s probe is checking into the recruitment of highly ranked basketball
recruits Michael Chandler and Kevin Ware, and football recruit DeMarcus
Smith.
Chandler, from Indianapolis, Ind., was the No. 4-ranked center in the
country and most-highly rated player UCF had ever signed when he inked
national letter of intent last month to play for the Knights. He had
previously committed to Louisville and Xavier.
Ware, from Conyers, Ga., was released from a national letter of intent he
signed with Tennessee after coach Bruce Pearl was fired. He subsequently
signed a grant-in-aid with UCF last month. But he recently backed out of his
commitment to the Knights.
The same is true for Smith, a quarterback from Louisville, Ky. He originally
verbally committed to Louisville, but wound up signing a national letter
with the Knights. He had second thoughts in March and asked UCF coach George
O’Leary for a release, but the coached denied it.
Phone messages left with Chandler and Ware were also not returned. The NCAA
does not comment on any pending or active investigations.
Caldwell, who lives in Chicago, is characterized in the media reports as
being similar to a runner, who works to direct college athletes toward
agents.
In the reports Caldwell denied being tied to any agency and said he has only
independently promoted the school—which his son also attends—to athletes
that he knows. Those athletes include current UCF basketball junior A.J.
Rompza, who went to high school in Chicago. |
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