By ADAM ZAGORIA
Memphis coach Penny Hardaway will serve a three-game suspension to start the 2023-24 season due to recruiting violations, the NCAA announced Wednesday.
He will miss games against Jackson State (Nov. 6), at Missouri (Nov. 10) and Alabama State (Nov. 17).
Per the NCAA: “Memphis men’s basketball coaches committed recruiting violations when they participated in two impermissible in-home recruiting visits with a prospect during his junior year of high school, according to a decision released by a Division I Committee on Infractions panel. Because of his personal involvement in the violations and failure to monitor his staff, the men’s basketball head coach also violated head coach responsibility rules.
“In December, the school reached an agreement with the enforcement staff about the violations and penalties. The Division I Committee on Infractions publicly acknowledged the infractions case so the school could immediately begin serving penalties while awaiting the committee’s final decision.”
Memphis released the following statement: “As was announced by the NCAA in December, the University of Memphis reached an agreement with NCAA enforcement staff on institutional penalties relating to a violation that occurred in our men’s basketball program during the 2021-22 academic year. As was also indicated in December, one individual, now identified as Coach Hardaway, exercised his right to work directly with the NCAA on his portion of the case, which was finalized today.
“As we were navigating the IARP process at the time the violation was discovered, we felt it was in our best interest to work through the NCAA’s Negotiated Resolution process. We supported Coach Hardaway’s right to work directly with the NCAA on his portion of the case, and we strongly believe Coach Hardaway never intentionally committed a violation. The University of Memphis is committed to compliance.
“We will learn from this incident and be even more diligent in our education and monitoring. Now that the entirety of this case is finalized, we will move forward in support of Coach Hardaway and our men’s basketball program, as we do all our programs.”
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