The NCAA has reprimanded Northeastern for its recruitment of former player Benson Egemonye, according to a public infractions report dated April 24. As a result of the infractions, Northeastern is on probation through April 2011 and had reduced scholarships and recruiting rights for 2008-09. The university also must develop an education program for coaches and athletic department staff members and submit updates about that program’s status.
According to the report, a university representative had improper communications with Egemonye during his recruitment and paid for some of his expenses. It cites the coaching staff, led by Duquesne coach Ron Everhart, for failing “to recognize the impropriety of the representative’s involvement.” Everhart coached the Huskies from 2001 to 2006, posting a record of 82-68 before leaving Northeastern to lead the Dukes.
In addition to Everhart, the infractions report identifies the improper involement of a university representative, David Caputo. Caputo first met Egemonye, who hails from Benin City, Nigeria, at a summer basketball tournament in Italy in 2001. That fall, Caputo “agreed to assist [Egemonye] in obtaining an F-1 student visa, entering the United States and enrolling in a collegiate institution in which to participate in intercollegiate basketball,” the report states.
Caputo first contacted Everhart about Egemonye’s recruitment in 2003, according to the report. Northeastern’s athletic department first learned about Caputo’s involvement in July 2004. The report criticizes the athletic department, especially Tricia Turley, former associate director of athletics for compliance and senior woman administrator, for failing to question the participation of [Caputo] in recruiting activities once she became aware of his possible involvement.”
In December 2004, Caputo paid for Egemonye to come to the United States, buying the recruit a plane ticket and paying for a night in a hotel. The following day, Egemonye and Caputo met with Everhart, and Egemonye signed with the Huskies, the report states.
In addition to the improper recruitment of Egemonye, the NCAA found a minor violation involving improper use of a team phone card. A member of Everhart’s staff used the card to check on Egemonye’s amateur status and high school credentials, and Anthony Serro, former director of operations on Everhart’s staff, made some of those calls in Egemonye’s presence, the report states, adding that Egemonye could view the phone card information and personal identification code. From July 2005 to November 2005, he made calls worth $201.36 to his family, the report states.
Egemonye played only four games for the Huskies in November 2005, scoring a total of four points in 23 minutes, before leaving the program to transfer to Niagara. Egemonye started all but one game for the Purple Eagles during the past two seasons and finished his senior season in March with averages of 12.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.
The infractions report states that Northeastern has already taken preventive measures as a result of this incident. For example, the university added a third full-time employee to its compliance and enrollment service and emphasized the need to monitor the involvement of outsiders in recruitment of athletes.
The report adds that Northeastern would have sent Everhart a reprimand if he remained with the team. The report indicates that Northeastern concluded that Everhart and his staff were not part of major rules violations.
