NCAA Ole Miss basketball recruiting violations

The NCAA issued penalties to the Ole Miss men’s basketball program following Level I and II tampering violations. The infractions involved former assistant coach Wes Flanigan, who conducted impermissible recruiting communications with an advisor of a student-athlete before that player had entered the transfer portal. Flanigan received a one-year show-cause order, including a recruiting communication suspension and a two-game coaching suspension.

While head coach Chris Beard was found responsible for program oversight, the NCAA determined he “was not personally involved in the violations, was not aware of the impermissible contact and promoted an atmosphere for compliance,” resulting in no direct penalties for him.

As part of the settlement, Ole Miss agreed to two years of probation, a $455,000 fine, and a one-week ban on recruiting communications and prospective player visits. The university also reached a settlement regarding a failure to dissociate a booster, which requires ending the relationship with that booster for two years and mandates rules seminars for athletic director Keith Carter and an Ole Miss Athletic Foundation official.