adoniijahsooner
12/9/2009, 11:36 AM
NCAA looking into hostess work.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4727155
Report: Use of 'hostesses' probedComment Email Print Share ESPN.com news services
The NCAA is probing Tennessee's football recruiting practices, according to several prep prospects, their family members and high school administrators, The New York Times reported Wednesday.
Much of the investigation is centered on the use of recruiting "hostesses" who have helped the program convince prep prospects to choose Tennessee by befriending prep prospects and attending their high school games, according to the report. Because the hostesses are considered an extension of the university, it could be considered a violation of NCAA rules if they helped recruit prospective athletes off campus.
Tennessee Athletic Director Mike Hamilton confirmed the school was being investigated but declined to address the allegations in the report. "Typically, we do not comment on inquires that are in progress," he said, according to the newspaper.
Tennessee has committed at least six secondary NCAA violations -- unintended violations of rules not deemed to have given the school an unfair competitive or recruiting advantage -- since Lane Kiffin took over as coach.
The NCAA appears to be strongly interested in Tennessee's use of hostesses -- students who are part of a university group that hosts prospective students on campus visits, including athletes. It was not clear whether the university sent the hostesses to visit the football players, the newspaper reported.
In one case, hostesses traveled nearly 200 miles to attend a football game at James F. Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C., one of the nation's best high school football programs, where at least three potential Tennessee recruits were playing, according to the report.
Marcus Lattimore, a running back who had made an unofficial visit to Tennessee but was not interested in attending the school, said the hostesses brought signs, including one that read, "Come to Tennessee," according to the report.
Two of Lattimore's high school teammates, Brandon Willis and Corey Miller, have orally committed to Tennessee. Lattimore said the hostesses were "real pretty, real nice and just real cool" and thinks they had "a lot" of influence in his teammates making oral commitments, according to the report.
"I haven't seen no other schools do that," Lattimore said, according to the report. "It's crazy."
Gary Willis, Brandon Willis' father, said the NCAA had interviewed his son about the hostesses' visit to the game, according to The Times. Gary Willis said the girls met his son at Tennessee's football camp last summer and told him they would be attending one of his games. He also said the trip was not arranged by Tennessee coaches or staff.
NCAA officials have visited with four prospects and are scheduled to visit two others this week, according to the report.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4727155
Report: Use of 'hostesses' probedComment Email Print Share ESPN.com news services
The NCAA is probing Tennessee's football recruiting practices, according to several prep prospects, their family members and high school administrators, The New York Times reported Wednesday.
Much of the investigation is centered on the use of recruiting "hostesses" who have helped the program convince prep prospects to choose Tennessee by befriending prep prospects and attending their high school games, according to the report. Because the hostesses are considered an extension of the university, it could be considered a violation of NCAA rules if they helped recruit prospective athletes off campus.
Tennessee Athletic Director Mike Hamilton confirmed the school was being investigated but declined to address the allegations in the report. "Typically, we do not comment on inquires that are in progress," he said, according to the newspaper.
Tennessee has committed at least six secondary NCAA violations -- unintended violations of rules not deemed to have given the school an unfair competitive or recruiting advantage -- since Lane Kiffin took over as coach.
The NCAA appears to be strongly interested in Tennessee's use of hostesses -- students who are part of a university group that hosts prospective students on campus visits, including athletes. It was not clear whether the university sent the hostesses to visit the football players, the newspaper reported.
In one case, hostesses traveled nearly 200 miles to attend a football game at James F. Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C., one of the nation's best high school football programs, where at least three potential Tennessee recruits were playing, according to the report.
Marcus Lattimore, a running back who had made an unofficial visit to Tennessee but was not interested in attending the school, said the hostesses brought signs, including one that read, "Come to Tennessee," according to the report.
Two of Lattimore's high school teammates, Brandon Willis and Corey Miller, have orally committed to Tennessee. Lattimore said the hostesses were "real pretty, real nice and just real cool" and thinks they had "a lot" of influence in his teammates making oral commitments, according to the report.
"I haven't seen no other schools do that," Lattimore said, according to the report. "It's crazy."
Gary Willis, Brandon Willis' father, said the NCAA had interviewed his son about the hostesses' visit to the game, according to The Times. Gary Willis said the girls met his son at Tennessee's football camp last summer and told him they would be attending one of his games. He also said the trip was not arranged by Tennessee coaches or staff.
NCAA officials have visited with four prospects and are scheduled to visit two others this week, according to the report.