The NCAA announced sanctions for the Memphis men’s basketball and softball programs on Wednesday following an investigation into academic integrity violations. The investigation concluded that two softball players received a total of $550 from a former academic advisor, Leslie Brooks, to give the basketball player answers to tests and quizzes and do some of his classes for him.
As a result, all three players participated in 20 competitions while ineligible. Both programs will be subject to two years’ probation and a fine of $30,000, plus 1% of their combined budget. According to the NCAA statement:
… Law enforcement personnel and the school agreed that the violations in this case occurred when Brooks asked two softball student-athletes to assist a male basketball student-athlete in classes for classes they had in common and said she would pay the student-athletes to support him. The first softball student-athlete then completed three assignments for the men’s basketball student-athlete and was paid $150. The sophomore softball student-athlete provided the answers to five tests and four quizzes to Brooks, as well as the answers to two additional tests and one quiz directly to the men’s basketball student-athlete. Brooks paid him $400.
In addition to the fine and probation – which do not prohibit either team from participating in the postseason – the NCAA is voiding records for the 20 games the players participated in while ineligible. Brooks received the harshest punishment of anyone involved, with a 10-year show cause sentence.
