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NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State's men's
basketball program was placed on probation for three years for
violations incurred under former coach Nolan Richardson III. Richardson III, the son of former Arkansas coach Nolan
Richardson, was found to have committed violations in areas of
impermissible tryouts, out-of-season practice activities,
recruiting inducements, coaching staff limitations and ethical
conduct. He was suspended indefinitely last season after an
altercation with assistant Hosea Lewis last December 25 in which
Richardson III brought a gun into the gym to confront Lewis. Richardson resigned on January 9 and the NCAA later launched an
investigation into Tennessee State's program. Those findings
resulted in the three years of probation, the loss of one
scholarship over each of the next two seasons and a reduction in
the number of permissible campus visits by recruits. Tennessee State was found to be a repeat violator since it was
its second major infraction in four years. "We accept the findings and resolutions of the NCAA infractions
committee," president James Hefner said. "And look forward to
the continued growth and development of our athletics program." In addition, the NCAA placed a "show-cause" penalty on
Richardson, similar to the one imposed on former California
coach Todd Bozeman. Any school that hires Richardson over the
next three years needs to demonstrate to the NCAA that his
duties will not be restricted. Among Richardson's violations included illegal pickup games
involving recruits on official and unofficial visits to
Tennessee State. In some cases, the pickup games were held at a
local YMCA when the campus gym was not available. Richardson went 23-41 in his tenure at Tennessee State.
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