TOLEDO, Ohio — The Ohio High School Athletic Association on Wednesday removed the Central Catholic High School girls basketball team from this year's state tournament as the program continues to deal with the fallout from recruiting violations.
On Tuesday, CCHS suspended head coach Ericka Haney just days after a second recruiting violation within the program in recent months was announced. Later Wednesday, Central Catholic spokesman Brian DeBenedictis issued a statement saying the team's state championship run is over.
"The Central Catholic girls basketball program has been removed from the 2022-23 Ohio High School Athletic Association State Tournament due to additional information that has come to light this week."
According to an OHSAA release, a third recruiting bylaw infraction was found.
"Toledo Central Catholic administrators cooperated with the OHSAA investigation regarding the bylaw infractions and has accepted the decision to be removed from the tournament," the release stated. "In addition, Central Catholic administrators have agreed to cooperate with the OHSAA’s comprehensive investigation in the coming months."
Central Catholic finished the season 20-2 and are ranked No. 3 in the state's Division II poll. Haney is in her third season as head coach.
DeBenedictis released the following statement early Wednesday regarding the suspension:
“Central Catholic High School has become aware of new information regarding our girls’ basketball program. As a result of these new details, Ericka Haney has been suspended indefinitely as the girls basketball head coach. Additional information will be forthcoming soon.”
Haney was suspended for the first four games of the season for a recruiting violation within the program. Earlier this week, the Ohio High School Athletic Association announced the program committed a second recruiting violation since October.
The OHSAA said Central 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 prospective 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.
The nature of the newest recruiting violation is unknown. The OHSAA did not name the assistant coach who committed the violation.
Napoleon will now advance to the next round of the OHSAA tournament and Central Catholic's season is over.
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