Hours before its marquee men’s basketball event of the season opens today, the University of Hawaii will learn its fate at the hands of the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions.
Xavier University athletic director Greg Christopher, the chief hearing officer, is scheduled to discuss the case at 8 a.m., breaking a 26-month NCAA silence. UH plays Northern Iowa in a nationally televised first round of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic at 8 p.m.
At issue is what additional sanctions — if any — may be levied against the program and its former coach, Gib Arnold.
UH officials and Arnold appeared before the committee in Dallas in October, nine months after the NCAA Enforcement staff alleged seven violations of the association’s rules.
The allegations were rated Level I or Level II, the most severe of the four categories, and the Committee on Infractions may uphold or reduce them, meting out what it deems appropriate penalties based upon the classifications.
Athletic director David Matlin, who was attending the tournament banquet Monday night, declined comment, as did new head coach Eran Ganot after his team’s practice.
An NCAA spokeswoman said the association would withhold comment until today. Arnold’s attorney, James Bickerton, was said to be traveling and was not immediately available for comment.
Asked if the Rainbow Warriors had discussed the pending NCAA announcement, sophomore guard Isaac Fleming said, “No, not really. Honestly, I could care less. Just here to play basketball. All that other stuff is what they gotta deal with and I could care less about it.”
UH has self-imposed several sanctions, including a loss of one scholarship this season and next, has vacated 36 combined victories from the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons, reduced practice time and paid a $10,000 fine.
By its actions, including the firing without cause of Arnold and former assistant Brandyn Akana on Oct. 28, 2014, UH has said it hoped to escape a postseason ban and what it could portend in recruiting and player retention.
Under NCAA rules, if a team is banned from the postseason for one year, players who have one year of eligibility remaining are free to transfer without penalty.
Meanwhile, Arnold could face an NCAA ban of as little as a few games up to multiple seasons if he is judged complicit in major violations.
He was hired as a scout by the Boston Celtics in September most likely rendering a penalty moot.
Under NCAA guidelines, any school that seeks to hire a coach under a multi-year penalty must “show cause” why it should be allowed to hire the coach.
Parties in the case may appeal the panel’s findings.
