Fansided

UConn’s Geno Auriemma hit with NCAA violation after congratulatory call to Mo’ne Davis

By Andrew Coppens

Apr 8, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Moriah Jefferson (4) hugs head coach Geno Auriemma after the championship game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Final Four in the 2014 NCAA Womens Division I Championship tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Connecticut Huskies won 79-58. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Moriah Jefferson (4) hugs head coach Geno Auriemma after the championship game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Final Four in the 2014 NCAA Womens Division I Championship tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Connecticut Huskies won 79-58. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /
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UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma isn’t a stranger to the NCAA compliance office, nor running afoul of the rule book. However, on Thursday it was learned that Auriemma was hit with a new secondary violation for contact with a Little League baseball player.

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According to a report in The Courant, the NCAA has cited UConn with a secondary violation for a congratulatory phone call made by Auriemma to Mo’ne Davis during the Little League World Series.

Yes, a phone call to a 12-year-old girl who pitched in the Little League World Series and represented the city of Philadelphia (where Auriemma has significant ties) is somehow an NCAA violation. According to the NCAA ruling, Auriemma’s call fell under illegal contact with a prospective student-athlete.

UConn issued a statement about the matter, and needless to say were not pleased about the outcome one bit nor were happy about the classification of Davis as a prospective student athlete.

"“While UConn will continue to adhere to the NCAA and conference rules, I believe that upon request from a friend to Geno, a proud Philadelphian, to call a young lady representing the City of Brotherly Love who had accomplished historic feats in the Little League World Series, should not constitute a violation especially due to the fact that NCAA rules do not classify Mo’ne as a prospective student-athlete.“The nature of Coach Auriemma’s two-minute conversation with Mo’ne had nothing to do with recruiting and instead had everything to do with congratulating and encouraging Mo’ne to continued success.”"

What got Auriemma and UConn in trouble is the fact that Davis was seen wearing a UConn sweatshirt everywhere she went during the Little League World Series and here expressed dream of playing point guard for UConn in the future.

So, now the dreams of a 12-year-old and having a favorite team to cheer for make her a recruit? Only the NCAA could come up with a ruling like this.

However, the bigger question is how did this even become a matter for the NCAA to deal with? Auriemma believes it was a rival conference acting on behalf of a request from a member school that turned him in for the violation.

Let this be a lesson to all coaches out there in the future, if you know a 12-year-old who is a fan and could one day be a recruit, you better not have contact with them or the NCAA compliance department is coming for you.