NCAA gives Miami 1-year probation for violation

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Miami has been placed on probation for one year after the school and NCAA said women’s basketball coaches inadvertently helped arrange impermissible contact between a booster and two players who signed with the Hurricanes.

Hurricanes coach Katie Meier will not have to miss any more games; she served a three-game suspension to start the season in anticipation of the NCAA’S ruling.

But the NCAA made clear that it wanted tougher penalties, saying it was “troubled” by “the absence of a disassociation of the involved booster” as part of the sanctions that Miami agreed upon.

“Boosters are involved with prospects and student-athletes in ways the NCAA membership has never seen or encountered,” the NCAA said. “In that way, addressing impermissible booster conduct is critical, and the disassociation penalty presents an effective penalty available to the (committee on infractions).”

The NCAA did not name neither the booster nor the players involved, but referenced an April 13 tweet posted by a booster that included a photo of him and two recruits. On that date, booster John Ruiz posted a photo of himself with Haley and Hanna Cavinder after a dinner at his home.

Ruiz has signed several Miami athletes to name, image and likeness deals, which are now permitted by NCAA rule. The Cavinders, who have an enormous social media following and several NIL deals, and signed their letter of intent about a week after the dinner.

The Cavinders told the NCAA that their decision to attend Miami was not influenced by what happened in their meeting with Ruiz, though they are among the athletes who have endorsed at least one of Ruiz’s business interests.