Memphis NCAA infractions case closed: Updates on where Kansas, Louisville, LSU, Arizona stand with IARP
Memphis is the second school whose NCAA case is resolved by the IARP, and the other four could have decisions soon
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By Kyle Boone
Memphis is the second school whose NCAA case is resolved by the IARP, and the other four could have decisions soon
The second of six infractions cases being resolved by the IARP, an independent review panel created in 2019 solely to review complex cases, was formally adjudicated on Tuesday as Memphis joined NC State in seeing its long and winding investigation come to a close. The Tigers program, which was under investigation and facing four Level I allegations and multiple Level II allegations stemming from violations centered around former No. 1 recruit James Wiseman, were instead hit with four Level II violations and five Level III violations after an extensive investigation by the panel.
Memphis faced significant consequences if its initial charges held -- including potentially a postseason ban for the program and stiff penalties for Penny Hardaway -- after Hardaway was charged with acting as a booster to secure the commitment of Wiseman. The hearing panel, though, determined that Hardaway's previous philanthropic involvement within the Memphis community and the availability of his generosity to all Memphians, not just to student-athletes, made his financial involvement with Wiseman merely a continuation of his long-standing status as a booster and not an act of recruiting inducement.
Memphis does face some penalties as part of the IARP's final decision -- it will pay a fine, go on probation and vacate the wins it secured when Wiseman played -- but it was by and large a slap love-tap on the wrist, and one that would seemingly bode well for the remaining schools waiting to hear final rulings from the panel.
There remains no timeline on when the final four schools will see their cases come to a close, but NCAA Vice President of Hearing Operations, Derrick Crawford, told the media on a call Tuesday that the four -- Louisville, Arizona, Kansas and LSU -- are on track to be resolved in "late spring, early summer of 2023." Louisville and Arizona have completed their hearings while Kansas and LSU have not, suggesting they may be ahead in the queue.
As we await those decisions, let's run through the timelines as they currently stand -- first with the resolved cases and then with those still open.
Resolved cases
Memphis
Rules violations have centered around former player James Wiseman- March 4, 2020: Request for referral of infractions case granted to IARP
- Oct. 8, 2020: The first IARP activity in the case -- The Complex Case Unit and Memphis submitted a request to amend the case management plan.
- Feb. 19, 2021: The Complex Case Unit provided notification of completion of the investigation.
- March 19, 2021: The chief panel member provides a status update letter.
- July 9, 2021: The Complex Case Unit submitted an amended notice of allegations.
- August 27, 2021: Memphis submitted a request for reconsideration of the chief panel member's response regarding compliance with operating procedures.
- October 7, 2021: Memphis and coach Penny Hardaway submit responses to the amended notice of allegations.
- April 22, 2022: The chief panel member conducts a hearing with Memphis, the Complex Case Unit and Penny Hardaway.
- May 20 and May 21, 2022: The hearing panel conducts a hearing
- September 27, 2022: Infractions decision released by IARP with Memphis placed on probation for three years, forced to vacate records in the three games Wiseman played in and fined $5,000, but avoided a postseason ban.
NC State
The NCAA alleged payments to Dennis Smith were tied to former Wolfpack coaches, including head coach Mark Gottfried- May 18, 2020: Request for referral of infractions case granted to IARP
- Feb 1, 2021: Notice of allegations by Complex Case Unit amended and issued to NC State.
- August 9-10 2021: The IARP hearing panel conducted a hearing.
- December 20, 2021: Infractions decision released by IARP with NC State placed on one year of probation, issued a $5,000 fine and scholarship losses through 2022-23, plus some standard recruiting limitations. The team's 15 wins that came while Smith played at NC State were vacated, but the Wolfpack also avoided a postseason ban.
