Sylvia Hatchell responds to NCAA allegations against North Carolina

The NCAA accused the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with five violations related to an investigation into academic fraud among Tar Heel athletic programs including women’s basketball. Citing a lack of institutional control, the report alleges that sports programs provided improper benefits to student-athletes and that “persons of authority condoned, participated in or negligently disregarded the violation or related wrongful conduct.”

In addition, UNC is the defendant in a class-action lawsuit filed by former athletes, including ex-UNC basketball player Rashanda McCants, alleging that they were directed to take fake classes. The lawsuit also implicates the NCAA saying that the organization “sat idly by, permitting big-time college sports programs to operate as diploma mills that compromise educational opportunities and the future job prospects of student-athletes for the sake of wins and revenues.”

UNC released a redacted 59-page notice of NCAA allegations and hundreds of exhibits that outline the current investigation.

Women’s basketball head coach Sylvia Hatchell released a statement about the NCAA findings:

You know how much I love the University of North Carolina, and because of this I’m certainly disappointed by these allegations. Our athletic department and university have learned from these past missteps. Corrective action has already been put in place and will only make our campus better.

I’ve always run my program with integrity. That’s why reading some of the allegations are so disappointing. I’m confident that Bubba Cunningham and the university will work with the NCAA to get through this process and bring closure to this matter, so our current and future student-athletes can have the best experience possible.