Editor in Chief
Within the next two weeks Purdue athletics will learn of the NCAA's verdict regarding sanctions facing the women's basketball program 15 months after potential violations were made public.
In February 2006, Purdue officials suspended guard Cherelle George and assistant coach Katrina Merriweather for possible NCAA violations. Almost two months later, George was declared permanently ineligible and Merriweather resigned. An internal investigation by Purdue found six possible violations - some of which could be major.
Since first notifying the NCAA of problems with NCAA rules in early 2006, Purdue has utilized the law firm of Stuart & Branigan to file a response to allegations. The law firm's report, filed April 27, 2007, was recently obtained by the Exponent as a result of a public document request. The 48-page summary report of Purdue's response was part of more than 400 pages of documents obtained through public documents related to the case.
It wasn't until Feb. 28, 2007 - more than a year from when wrongdoing was announced - that Purdue was given notice to respond to six possible violations. The University's attorney filed a response a month later and a hearing was held on that response on June 8.
The NCAA is reviewing Purdue documents and hearing information to determine what violations occurred and if penalties should be assessed. Six to eight weeks after the hearing institutions can expect reports detailing the decision. This is the sixth week since Purdue's hearing.
"We're waiting for the final verdict," assistant athletic director Tom Schott said Monday.
Purdue is hoping the self-imposed penalties that were enacted will avoid additional NCAA punishment. The University took away one scholarship for the 2006-07 season, suspended then assistant coach Merriweather, declared George permanently ineligible and had a presentation on ethical conduct with coaches and administrators.
"While Purdue University acknowledges that (Merriweather) was an employee of the athletics department and is taking full responsibility for her actions while our employee, it was determined through this investigation that she clearly acted outside the scope of her responsibilities as an assistant coach," a letter from Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke wrote on May 1 to the NCAA.
Purdue admitted in its April response that Merriweather assisted a student-athlete with writing a research paper, made impermissible contact during non-sanctioned recruiting periods and did various personal favors for players.
Upon being asked to comment on the documents the Exponent received, an athletic department official would not comment further until the NCAA is finished deliberating.
"In May of 2006, the Purdue Department of Intercollegiate Athletics transmitted to the NCAA and the Big Ten Conference the results of a 10-week inquiry involving our women's basketball program," a statement from Schott said. "In response to a public records request, the University's response to allegations to the NCAA has been released.
"While the response has been redacted to comply with the Indiana Access to Public Records Act and federal privacy law, it contains no new violations but does provide additional information uncovered in the University's review. This response is part of the NCAA judicial process, and the University participated in a hearing regarding these matters on June 8, 2007, before the Division I Committee on Infractions. The University will have no comment on the matter during the deliberations by the Committee."
Burke declined comment on the case and deferred to Schott.
The public documents do not contain any new violations, but it does provide additional information from Purdue's internal investigation.
The response says former coach Kristy Curry was aware of one of the violations - academic fraud. After two meetings with Merriweather in late 2005 and early 2006 - and denials from Merriweather regarding academic fraud - Curry did not pursue it. Curry, who's now the coach at Texas Tech, would have been reprimanded and "limited for summer recruiting" by Burke if she would have stayed at Purdue. Furthermore, it was learned that Curry made two of 49 impermissible contacts with recruits. Merriweather was implicated in the remaining 47 call violations - all of which were six minutes or less.
According to the response, "It is noted here that had the head coach remained at Purdue University, the assistant coach (Merriweather) would have been terminated." Merriweather, however, resigned more than a month before that conclusion had been reached.
Merriweather was at the heart of all six violations part of the NCAA investigation.
1. One incident of academic misconduct involving one assistant coach. No eligibility issues were involved.
2. Impermissible use of a coach's cell phone by four current student-athletes.
3. Impermissible storage of two current student-athletes' personal items for a period not longer than one month at the residence of an assistant coach.
4. Impermissible purchase of flowers for one prospective student-athlete by an assistant coach. The prospective student-athlete has already signed a letter of intent two months prior to the impermissible purchase.
5. Impermissible storage of one current student-athlete's automobile for a period not longer than two months at an assistant coach's residence.
6. Impermissible telephone contacts with two prospective student-athletes.
Other than the academic fraud being known, the other five violations came to light after former assistant coach Janon Lampley met with Purdue's compliance staff in February 2006, according to the public documents. Purdue then suspended both Merriweather and George and began an investigation.
The NCAA declined to comment because the investigation is still ongoing.
There were five other potential NCAA wrongdoing allegations that came forth through the investigation. However, none were confirmed through interviews conducted by Purdue's compliance staff.
Published in the Purdue Exponent on July 18, 2007.
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