Louisville is disputing the NCAA’s allegation that Rick Pitino violated his responsibility as a head coach by failing to monitor former staffer Andre McGee’s activities that resulted in a sex scandal and subsequent investigation by the governing body.
The school on Wednesday released responses it submitted last week after receiving a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA that included four violations by the basketball program and criticism of Pitino for failing to monitor the former Cardinals basketball staffer who an escort has said hired her and others for sex parties with recruits and players.
In one of three responses, Louisville stated that Pitino “fostered a culture” of compliance and that McGee’s activities couldn’t have been monitored by “reasonable” practices because he intended to avoid detection.
Pitino’s separate response rebuts the NCAA’s contention that he failed to seek red flags and that he never got indications of McGee’s activities.
“When confronted with the details of the activities,” Pitino’s attorney, Scott Tompsett stated on the coach’s behalf, “McGee and some of the young men who were involved in the parties lied to experienced and trained NCAA investigators. …