NCAA charges Rick Pitino with failure to monitor in sex scandal

The NCAA announced on Thursday that Louisville head coach Rick Pitino has been charged with failure to monitor a staff member in his basketball program after an investigation into the sex scandal that went on at the university.

In its notice of allegations, the NCAA revealed four Level I charges, two of which were directed at former director of basketball operations Andre McGee and another at former assistant Brandon Williams. Louisville was not charged with lack of institutional control or failure to monitor.

While Pitino has vehemently denied having knowledge of any of the allegations former escort Katina Powell made in her book, he could be facing a steep penalty. The NCAA determined that McGee paid Powell and other escorts roughly $5,400 in exchange for sex acts for “at least” 17 athletes and/or recruits. Though Pitino was not charged with committing any of the violations himself, he is responsible for not monitoring McGee and his staff and failing to “spot-check” his program or look for red flags.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim and then-SMU coach Larry Brown were suspended nine games each last season for failure to monitor.

The NCAA has yet to propose penalties, and Louisville believes its self-imposed penalties of a postseason ban, forfeiture of scholarships and reduced recruiting access will be sufficient. McGee and Williams, who both failed to cooperate with the investigation, no longer work at Louisville.

A previous report stated that three Louisville recruits confirmed to the NCAA that the stripper parties did take place. The NCAA’s investigation has determined the same.