The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions doled out its punishment to the University of Hawaii and former coach Gib Arnold on Tuesday following a yearlong investigation into the men's basketball program.
And boy, did they come down hard.
Hawaii has received a postseason ban for the 2016-17 season and a reduction of two scholarships for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons. For his part, Arnold has received a three-year show-cause order beginning today, Dec. 22, as well as a suspension for 30 percent of the basketball season if an NCAA institution hires him. Former assistant Brandyn Akana has also received a two-year show cause order.
The school had also previously self-imposed a vacation of 36 wins, a $10,000 fine, and a limitation on recruiting visits. All of these sanctions were upheld.
In its ruling, the NCAA said Arnold "violated NCAA ethical conduct rules and did not promote an atmosphere for compliance in his program," then also "provided false or misleading information during the investigation, allowed his director of operations to participate in coaching activities, and failed to report a possible violation."
The particular violations are numerous. First, a former director of basketball operations was found to be participating in coaching activities, which Arnold then misled the NCAA about. Second, Arnold found that a player was using a booster's car and did not report it to his compliance department while also telling the team to keep it in-house. Finally, Akana was found to have altered an admissions form for an international student in order to get him eligible a the university. These infractions were found to have violated the NCAA's code for ethical conduct, and were the reasons for the penalties.
You can read the NCAA's full decision here.
