Men’s basketball reports 5 secondary violations in last year

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The UK men’s basketball team has committed five secondary violations within the last year according to documents shown from an open records request filed by the Kernel in accordance to the Kentucky Open Records Act. The violations occurred under former men’s basketball head coach Billy Gillispie’s tenure, along with current head coach John Calipari.

The first violation, dated Nov. 3, 2008, came from players receiving free meals at Joe Bologna’s. Joe Bologna, owner of the restaurant, provided receipts for what he said were all the meals given to the players. The players admitted they had accepted free meals at the establishment.

Joe Bologna’s Restaurant has since been disassociated from the UK Athletics Department for three years, effective August 2008. No player received an amount greater than $84.95. Violations of NCAA Bylaw 12.1.2.1.6 do not affect the eligibility of the individual if the amount received is $100 or less.

The second violation,dated Nov. 10, 2008, was reported to senior associate athletic director Sandy Bell by Gillispie. Former assistant coach Glynn Cyprien flight from Atlanta to Lexington was canceled and he was unable to return to campus before engaging in recruiting. This is a violation of NCAA Bylaw 11.7.4.3.

The third violation, dated March 23, 2009, was reported to Bell by former assistant men’s basketball coach Tracy Webster. Webster said he had contact with a prospect before the first permissible date to contact the prospect, a violation of NCAA Bylaw 13.02.3.

Webster told the high school’s basketball coach where he was visiting, that he was not able to speak directly to any of his players. As the two coaches arrived to the prospect’s classroom, the high school coach asked the teacher if he could speak to the player, a 2011 prospect. When he stepped out of class Webster said “hello” and made a few other comments before the player returned to class.

Webster received a letter of admonishment and UK counted the exchange as one of the permissible contacts for the player when it does become permissible to contact him.

The fourth violation, dated July 17, 2009, was committed by The Reggie Warford Basketball Camp in violation of NCAA Bylaw 12.5.2.2. The violation was that the basketball camp used current sophomore guard Darius Miller’s name in a camp advertisement without his knowledge or permission.

The final violation, dated Sept. 1, 2009, was reported by Bilal Batley, fomer men’s basketball administrative assistant at UK. The violation was of NCAA Bylaw 11.7.1.1.1, where Batley admitted to participating in countable athletically related activities with a student-athlete.

The penalty, according to the document, was that Batley would be issued a letter of admonishment. Batley, who held the same position at Memphis under Calipari last season, is no longer with UK.