Greenspan disappointed after 'major violations' by Sampson named in NCAA report

IU men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson lied to University and NCAA investigators about his role in recruiting violations, according to an NCAA report IU released Wednesday, and IU Athletics Director Rick Greenspan did not confirm or deny there had been discussions about terminating Sampson’s contract. \nThe NCAA’s investigation into illegal recruiting phone calls Sampson and his staff made revealed five “major violations” by Sampson and his staff. \nGreenspan said Sampson, whose contract with IU has a clause which allows IU to fire him if there are NCAA-related improprieties, will continue to coach into the “foreseeable future.” \n“We have work to do,” Greenspan said during a press conference Wednesday. “While we’re going to be expedient, which I think is what is expected of us, we’re also not going to rush to judgment and have a faulty conclusion.” \nThe NCAA levied a “major violations” tag on Sampson because it believes the coach was not truthful with investigators regarding his role in IU’s recruiting violations.\n“Sampson … (provided) the institution and the NCAA enforcement staff false or misleading information,” the report reads. The NCAA specifically alleges Sampson was lying when he told investigators that he did not know he was participating in impermissible three-way recruiting phone calls. \nGreenspan declined comment on whether he though Sampson lied.\n“I am personally and professionally and profoundly disappointed that there is even a hint of inappropriate behavior,” Greenspan said.\nThree-way phone calls are permitted by NCAA rules, but Sampson and his staff were prohibited from making them. The NCAA sanctioned Sampson and his staff for excessive phone calls made while he coached at Oklahoma.\nThe University and Indianapolis-based law firm Ice Miller had previously characterized the three-way phone call violations as “secondary,” or less serious.\n“Obviously there were details that were included in the NCAA’s report that was beyond the scope of what our findings were,” Greenspan said. \nGreenspan said he wanted to wait to review the report further before saying whether he thought the violations should have been classified as major or secondary. \n“The experts in that area will have to make that determination,” he said. \nSampson is responsible for two major violations allegations because of his role in the impermissible phone calls and because he “failed to deport himself in accordance with the generally recognized high standard of honesty normally associated with the conduct and administration of intercollegiate athletics,” according to the report. \nThe University has until May 8 to submit its response, which may challenge or refute the NCAA’s findings. The NCAA Committee on Infractions will hold a meeting on June 14 in Seattle and has requested Sampson, Greenspan and IU President Michael McRobbie be present.\nA ruling on the matter is expected approximately 30 days after the Infractions Committee’s meeting, said IU Associate Athletics Director of Compliance Grace Calhoun.\nIU spokesman Larry MacIntyre said McRobbie would not comment on the matter at this time. \nIn addition to Sampson’s violations, the NCAA alleges the IU men’s basketball staff committed three other “major” violations. \nThe NCAA alleges that assistant coach Jerry Meyer and former assistant Rob Senderoff made at least 25 impermissible phone calls to nine different recruits, previously classified as secondary by the University. Like Sampson, Senderoff acted “contrary to the NCAA principles of ethical conduct” by engaging Sampson in three-way phone calls.\nMeyer and Sampson impermissibly recruited high school player Derek Elston, who is verbally committed to IU, during a summer camp and Meyer gave Elston two impermissible gifts – an IU T-shirt and a drawstring backpack. \nIn October, IU self-reported recruiting violations it uncovered during a routine audit in the summer. The report outlined 10 three-way phone calls, which violated the staff’s sanctions. In the report, Sampson said he was unaware he was involved in three-way calls with recruits, though one recruit and the mother of a different recruit said they recalled Sampson and Senderoff speaking at the same time. \nDuring a news conference on Nov. 1, Sampson denied allegations that he lied about his role in the violations. \n“I know what I know, and that’s all I need to say on that,” Sampson said. “What I said ... was the right answer.”\nIU Student Association president W.T. Wright said in the coming days and weeks IUSA plans to meet with members of the athletic department, gauge the reaction of the campus and find out more information about the case.\n"IUSA will take a stance on this," he said. "It's our job to explain what the campus is thinking."\n-Staff writer Trevor Brown contributed to this report