University of Memphis Athletics
NCAA and the University of Memphis Reach a Negotiated Resolution
Jul 16, 2025 | General
NCAA Infractions Case: June, 2023
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As was announced by the NCAA in December, the University of Memphis reached an agreement with NCAA enforcement staff on institutional penalties relating to a violation that occurred in our men's basketball program during the 2021-22 academic year. As was also indicated in December, one individual, now identified as Coach Hardaway, exercised his right to work directly with the NCAA on his portion of the case, which was finalized today.
As we were navigating the IARP process at the time the violation was discovered, we felt it was in our best interest to work through the NCAA's Negotiated Resolution process. We supported Coach Hardaway's right to work directly with the NCAA on his portion of the case, and we strongly believe Coach Hardaway never intentionally committed a violation.
The University of Memphis is committed to compliance. We will learn from this incident and be even more diligent in our education and monitoring. Now that the entirety of this case is finalized, we will move forward in support of Coach Hardaway and our men's basketball program, as we do all our programs.
NCAA Infractions Case: July, 2025
View the COI Report
A panel of the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions (COI) has announced that it has approved a negotiated resolution between the NCAA's enforcement staff and the University of Memphis on violations in the men's basketball and softball programs, and the appropriate penalties for those violations. In addition, the University outlined several measures of corrective action to ensure the violations do not occur in the future.
"We are pleased to have reached a mutually agreed upon resolution by the NCAA Committee on Infractions and the University of Memphis," University of Memphis President Dr. Bill Hardgrave said. "I would like to thank our staff who worked swiftly and collaboratively with the NCAA to take appropriate action and implement corrective measures. The University of Memphis is committed to a culture of compliance with all NCAA rules and will move our program forward accordingly."
The University and the COI agreed that the violations occurred when a former academic advisor committed unethical conduct and academic integrity violations, and provided impermissible benefits when they arranged for two softball student-athletes to provide them and/or a men's basketball student-athlete with completed academic assignments and answers to tests and quizzes. In exchange for the completed coursework, the former academic advisor provided the two softball student-athletes with monetary payments. As a result of the academic integrity violations, three student-athletes competed in 20 contests while ineligible.
The University and the COI agree on the following penalties: Two years of probation (July 16, 2025 to July 17, 2027), a $30,000 fine plus one percent of the men's basketball and softball budgets, a 10-year show-cause order for the former academic advisor, public reprimand and censure through the release of the negotiated resolution agreement, and the vacation of team and individual records for competitions in which ineligible student-athletes participated. The penalties agreed upon do not include a postseason ban of any kind for either program.
In its ruling, the committee highlighted Memphis' prompt disclosure, acknowledgment and acceptance of responsibility for the violations, affirmative steps to expedite resolution through a negotiated settlement, and an established history of reporting Level III violations. The parties agreed that this case should be resolved as Level I – Mitigated for the institution. Memphis Athletics will continue to enhance compliance education to ensure adherence to NCAA rules.
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