The University of Connecticut announced Friday that it has received a notice of allegations from the NCAA regarding possible recruiting violations within the men’s basketball program. At a press conference held in Gampel Pavilion, athletic director Jeffrey Hathaway, men’s basketball coach Jim Calhoun, and Rick Evrard, UConn’s outside counsel for NCAA matters, said they will continue cooperating with the ongoing NCAA investigation.

The notice contains eight specific charges and is the result of a 15-month cooperative review by NCAA enforcement staff and the University. The University has until August 20, 2010 to provide its response to the notice to the NCAA Committee on Infractions. University representatives are scheduled to appear before the committee in Indianapolis on Oct. 15 and 16.

“Let me be clear that the University of Connecticut is fully committed to NCAA rules compliance and takes this matter very seriously,” said Hathaway. “With regard to Coach Calhoun, he personally has a long-standing history of demonstrated commitment to NCAA compliance. We appreciate his continued commitment, as well as the full cooperation and support that he has provided throughout this process.”

“We look forward to working with the NCAA in the coming months and expect to fully respond to their concerns,” said Calhoun. “While we may have made some mistakes in the recruiting process, UConn has never wavered in terms of its fostering and maintaining a strong culture of compliance, and has always striven to meet the high standards expected of us.”

The University also announced that two members of the men’s basketball staff have resigned: assistant coaches Beau Archibald and Patrick Sellers. Both men released statements.

“The University and the athletic division are taking this very seriously, as we should,” said UConn President Michael Hogan in a statement. “I am confident that the University will appropriately address and respond to this matter and continue cooperating fully with the NCAA as this process moves forward.”

The notice contains eight allegations of violation of NCAA bylaws including:

• Impermissible phone calls and text messages to prospective student-athletes;
• Impermissible benefits provided to a prospective student-athlete by a representative of the institution’s athletic interests;
• Impermissible benefit to a prospective student-athlete by a member of the basketball staff;
• Allegations against two members of the basketball staff for providing false and misleading information to the NCAA enforcement staff and to the institution;
• Providing impermissible complimentary admissions or discretionary tickets;
• A failure by the head men’s basketball coach to promote an atmosphere of compliance in the men’s basketball program and a failure to adequately monitor the program to ensure compliance with NCAA legislation regarding telephone calls, text messages, and benefits provided by a representative of the institution’s athletic interests;
• A failure by the institution to adequately monitor the conduct and administration of the men’s basketball staff in the areas of telephone records; representatives of the institution’s athletics interests; and complimentary admissions or discretionary tickets.

The University and Athletics Department will not be making any further comments, as the investigation is an ongoing process with the NCAA.

The complete texts of statements from UConn officials as well as the NCAA notice of allegations can be found here.