TOLEDO, Ohio — The Central Catholic girls basketball team is again in hot water for a recruiting violation.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced Monday that Central Catholic violated Bylaws 4-9-2, 4-9-4 #3 and 4-9-4 #3, recruiting, when a girls basketball assistant coach had "impermissible contact with a perspective student athlete prior to an application fee being submitted to the school for potential enrollment." The following sanctions were issued:
- Toledo Central Catholic is publicly reprimanded for its second girls basketball program violation of this nature.
- The assistant coach shall be prohibited from coaching during the 2023 OHSAA Girls Basketball Tournament.
- Toledo Central Catholic is required to conduct a recruiting seminar, led by an OHSAA compliance staff member, for all head coaches and any other personnel deemed appropriate.
- Toledo Central Catholic has been fined $2,500.
- Toledo Central Catholic’s girls basketball program shall be placed on probation through the 2024-25 school year.
A Central Catholic spokesman released the following statement Monday:
"Central Catholic High School was made aware of a violation by an assistant coach in our girls basketball program by the Ohio High School Athletic Association. Since investigating and sharing our findings to OHSAA, we accept their decision. We are taking the necessary steps to work with OHSAA to ensure compliance."
Head coach Ericka Haney was suspended for the first four games of the season for a recruiting violation.
That recruiting violation was self-reported by the district to the OHSAA, according to a statement issued at the time. A four-game suspension for Haney was recommended by the OHSAA.
Central Catholic was in “full support” of the recommendation.
The nature of the newest recruiting violation is unknown. The OHSAA did not name the assistant coach who committed the violation.
Also Monday, the OSHAA announced Whitmer self-reported a violation within its boys basketball program.
Whitmer violated Bylaw 4-9-4 #3, recruiting, when a coach "permitted a prospective student-athlete not enrolled at a school within the district to sit on the team's bench during a contest." The act was deemed unintentional and the OHSAA accepted the school's corrective action plan.
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