Coach Reassigned Despite Team’s Strong Start

The Star-Ledger, Dave D’Alessandro & Mike Vorkunov

http://www.nj.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/01/kean_womens_basketball_coach_r.html

Michele Sharp, the accomplished women’s basketball coach at Kean University whose program was charged with numerous NCAA violations in the past year, was forced to leave her position by the administration today and re-assigned within the athletic department.

The school provided no explanation for her removal, but it’s not likely related to achievement: Sharp’s team, a perennial Division 3 power, was 15-3 following its loss to No. 1 Amherst Tuesday night.

The University would only confirm that Sharp was fired.

“Kean University Athletic Director Chris Morgan has relieved Michele Sharp of her duties as head coach of the Women’s Basketball program and reassigned her to another position within the Athletics Department, the University said in a statement. Mr. Morgan said his decision was in the best interests of the student athletes and the university.”

On Sept. 28, Kean received notice from the NCAA that it must answer to five violations uncovered by its infractions committee, four of which were committed within Sharp’s program. Among them were providing “extra benefits” to basketball players in connection with a team trip to Europe, and changing grades for one of the team’s top players.

Moreover, the NCAA claimed that Sharp herself “did not promote an atmosphere of compliance within (his or her) program because of (his or her) failure to involve or consult the athletic department on matters concerning the . . . program.”

That was a reference to Sharp’s refusal to cooperate with former athletic director Glenn Hedden, who was fired shortly after he had self-reported the program’s violations to the NCAA.

University spokesman Matt Caruso would not provide further comment when asked whether Sharp’s dismissal was inspired by a pending sanction from the NCAA.

In September, the NCAA told the University that it had 90 days to respond to its original notice of allegations, and then appear before the Committee on Infractions sometime in March. At that time, Caruso said that the university was “now in the response phase of this process, and it would appear that its first response is to take punitive measures against the coach who brought months of unfavorable attention to a once-proud athletic department.

The school took a similar preemptive approach last year, when it self-imposed a postseason ban on three of its fall teams – women’s soccer, men’s soccer, and women’s volleyball – because an excessive number of scholarships were given to athletes on those teams.

According to a person familiar with the athletic department duties, Sharp was put in charge of the East Campus Recreation facility, which essentially means she will help run the fitness room.

It is a significant demotion for a coach whose program had reached the NCAA Division 3 Final Eight three times in the last four years.

When reached for comment, Sharp was brusque and said, I have nothing to say to you, and hung up.

You guys don’t really want the truth, so I have nothing to say to you, Sharp also added.
No comment is my comment.”

Basketball Coach Reassigned Despite Strong Start

The Star-Ledger, Dave D’Alessandro & Mike Vorkunov

http://www.nj.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/01/kean_womens_basketball_coach_r.html

Michele Sharp, the accomplished women’s basketball coach at Kean University whose program was charged with numerous NCAA violations in the past year, was forced to leave her position by the administration today and re-assigned within the athletic department.

The school provided no explanation for her removal, but it’s not likely related to achievement: Sharp’s team, a perennial Division 3 power, was 15-3 following its loss to No. 1 Amherst Tuesday night.

The University would only confirm that Sharp was fired.

“Kean University Athletic Director Chris Morgan has relieved Michele Sharp of her duties as head coach of the Women’s Basketball program and reassigned her to another position within the Athletics Department, the University said in a statement. Mr. Morgan said his decision was in the best interests of the student athletes and the university.”

On Sept. 28, Kean received notice from the NCAA that it must answer to five violations uncovered by its infractions committee, four of which were committed within Sharp’s program. Among them were providing “extra benefits” to basketball players in connection with a team trip to Europe, and changing grades for one of the team’s top players.

Moreover, the NCAA claimed that Sharp herself “did not promote an atmosphere of compliance within (his or her) program because of (his or her) failure to involve or consult the athletic department on matters concerning the . . . program.”

That was a reference to Sharp’s refusal to cooperate with former athletic director Glenn Hedden, who was fired shortly after he had self-reported the program’s violations to the NCAA.

University spokesman Matt Caruso would not provide further comment when asked whether Sharp’s dismissal was inspired by a pending sanction from the NCAA.

In September, the NCAA told the University that it had 90 days to respond to its original notice of allegations, and then appear before the Committee on Infractions sometime in March. At that time, Caruso said that the university was “now in the response phase of this process, and it would appear that its first response is to take punitive measures against the coach who brought months of unfavorable attention to a once-proud athletic department.

The school took a similar preemptive approach last year, when it self-imposed a postseason ban on three of its fall teams – women’s soccer, men’s soccer, and women’s volleyball – because an excessive number of scholarships were given to athletes on those teams.

According to a person familiar with the athletic department duties, Sharp was put in charge of the East Campus Recreation facility, which essentially means she will help run the fitness room.

It is a significant demotion for a coach whose program had reached the NCAA Division 3 Final Eight three times in the last four years.

When reached for comment, Sharp was brusque and said, I have nothing to say to you, and hung up.

You guys don’t really want the truth, so I have nothing to say to you, Sharp also added. No comment is my comment.”