Arizona received its notice of allegations from the NCAA, the school announced on Friday. It provided no further information.
“In order to protect the integrity of the ongoing enforcement process, the University is not releasing the NOA at this time,” the school said.
Arizona Board of Regents Chair Larry E. Penley released a statement shortly after the school’s announcement.
“The Arizona Board of Regents will meet in executive session next week to discuss the NCAA’s Notice of Allegations issued to the University of Arizona,” the statement read. “The board recognizes that the issuance by the NCAA of a Notice of Allegations is another step in its comprehensive enforcement process. Maintaining the integrity of the process, while frustratingly slow, has been and remains essential and we look forward to an expeditious resolution.
“The board has confidence in President [Robert C.] Robbins and his commitment to the highest integrity in academic and athletic matters.”
Arizona’s men’s basketball program has been under investigation stemming from the 2017 FBI investigation into college basketball. Former Arizona assistant Emanuel “Book” Richardson pleaded guilty in 2019 to accepting $20,000 in bribes from aspiring sports agent Christian Dawkins in order to steer players to Dawkins once they turned pro.
During Dawkins’ trial, prosecutors played a call in which Richardson told Dawkins that Arizona head coach Sean Miller was paying $10,000 a month for former player Deandre Ayton.
“But see, your boy [Miller] promised that he was gonna let [us] work on that deal,” Dawkins told Richardson during the call. “So we’ll see how Sean plays it out. You know what I’m saying? We’ll see if he’s a man of his word. ‘Cause he brought it up to me.”
“Yeah, ’cause he need help,” Richardson responded. “You know what he doing per month? I told you. Ten.”
“Yeah, that’s what I’m saying,” Dawkins said. “He’s putting up some real money for them [players]. He told me he’s getting killed.”
Miller has consistently denied paying players to attend Arizona.
“I have never knowingly violated NCAA rules while serving as head coach of this great program,” he said at a news conference in 2018. “I have never paid a recruit, prospect or their family or representative to come to Arizona, and I never will.”
