The Miami women’s basketball program is in some big trouble and it involves the twins Haley and Hanna Cavinder. The NCAA sent a message on Friday by issuing its first ever ruling in an NIL infractions case.
Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger and Pat Forde reported that the infraction ruling came down after the twins and their family had dinner at the home of program booster John Ruiz. The twins are not being punished, but Miami head coach Katie Meier was suspended for the first 3 games of the season.
As a result of the infraction, Miami has been placed on a one-year probation, received a $5,000 fine and a reduction in official visits and recruiting days.
“The investigation did not develop any facts directly linking activities around name, image and likeness to the prospects’ recruitment to or decision to enroll at the University of Miami,” the COI wrote in its report. “During its review, however, the panel was troubled by the limited nature and severity of institutional penalties agreed upon by Miami and the enforcement staff—namely, the absence of a disassociation of the involved booster. …
“Although the parties asserted that a disassociation penalty would be inappropriate based on an impermissible meal and an impermissible contact, today’s new NIL-related environment presents a new day. Boosters are involved with prospects and student-athletes in ways the NCAA membership has never seen or encountered. In that way, addressing impermissible booster conduct is critical, and the disassociation penalty presents an effective penalty available to the COI.”
Ruiz is an attorney and businessman who had three children attend Miami. Ruiz has spent more than $10 million on NIL deals with more than 100 athletes.
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No other UM sports teams were sanctioned.
Haley Cavinder is the team’s leading scorer with 12.9 points per game. Her sister, Hanna, is averaging 3.7 points a game.
