In the days after Nevin Shapiro dropped a bombshell on the Miami football and basketball programs, it was widely assumed that it was just a dozen Hurricane football players who had allegedly been on the receiving end of impermissible benefits from the former booster.
As it turns out, there could be more ‘Canes involved than originally suspected.
In a videotaped statement, UM president Donna Shalala stated that she and her senior staff had worked over the weekend on the ongoing NCAA investigation, and that there are 15 current student-athletes whose eligibility is being reviewed. While Shalala did not specify which sports the 15 student-athletes play, Steve Gorten of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel tweeted that “I’m guessing one of the 15 is basketball player DeQuan Jones, so then 14 [are] football [players].”
It’s unclear just who those two additional football players would be or how they might have become connected to the situation.
“With the season fast approaching, I know our coaches, players and fans are eager to know the results,” Shalala said. “The process, however, must be deliberate and thorough to ensure its integrity.”
The NCAA began an investigation into Shapiro’s claims more than five months ago, and Shalala said in the video statement that the university “will move through the process thoroughly” with their own tandem probe.
Shalala added that the university retained “outside counsel which specializes in NCAA cases to assist the university in all aspects of the investigation.”