UConn replaces coaches forced out in NCAA investigation of men’s basketball program

UConn replaces assistant coaches after NCAA probe

HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun is turning to two old friends as he attempts to steer his program through an NCAA recruiting scandal.

The school announced Friday that it hired Glen Miller and Kevin Ollie to fill the vacancies left by the resignations of staff members accused of lying to NCAA investigators.

Miller, a former Calhoun assistant who has spent 17 years as a head coach including stints at Brown and Pennsylvania, will take on the newly created job of director of men’s basketball administration.

Ollie, a former UConn point guard who played 13 seasons in the NBA, has been hired as an assistant coach.

They replace Beau Archibald and Patrick Sellers, who stepped down in May after being accused of providing false and misleading information during an NCAA investigation of alleged recruiting violations at the school.

“I am thrilled to be able to welcome Kevin and Glen back to UConn,” Calhoun said in a written statement. “They both bring incredible experience to our staff and tremendous values that our players will benefit from.”

Miller fills the staff spot left by Archibald, who was the school’s director of basketball operations, to deal with things such as practice time and flight schedules.

But Miller also will have a much greater administrative role, overseeing the program’s NCAA compliance, the academic performance of its players and other issues, the school said.

Among the eight violations cited by the NCAA was Calhoun’s failure to promote an atmosphere of compliance, and UConn’s failure as an institution to adequately monitor its staff.

“Glen brings over 20 years of coaching expertise to the staff and with his 17 years as a head coach he brings familiarity with budgeting, compliance, student-athlete welfare and many other administrative areas that he will deal with on a day-to-day basis here for us,” Calhoun said.

Ollie has never been a coach, but played for 11 different NBA teams. He a two-time team captain at UConn and helped lead the Huskies to two Big East regular season titles and a spot in the 1995 NCAA Regional Finals.

UConn finished with a 18-16 record last season and lost in the second round of the NIT.

The NCAA and the school have been investigating the program since shortly after a report by Yahoo! Sports in March 2009 that former team manager Josh Nochimson helped guide player Nate Miles to Connecticut, giving him lodging, transportation, meals and representation.

UConn is preparing a response to the NCAA’s finding of eight major violations, and is expected to release its report by Aug. 17. A hearing before the NCAA is scheduled for October.