The NCAA placed the California men’s basketball program on two years probation Friday for making more than 300 impermissible recruiting phone calls.The Division I Committee on Infractions added only a few small penalties on top of what the school had already self-imposed after quickly reporting the 365 calls made shortly after coach Mike Montgomery and his staff were hired in April 2008.
“I believe deeply in following NCAA rules and have always promoted an atmosphere of compliance within our program,” said Montgomery, a former chair of the NABC Ethics Committee. “It is gratifying to know that during our NCAA hearing in Indianapolis that there was agreement among all parties that these violations were unintentional. However, that does not excuse them, and we need to remain diligent in our efforts to remain compliant. We strive to maintain a very high standard and take this situation very seriously.”