Miami’s Cavinder Twins have responded to the NCAA punishing their team and coach for violating NIL regulations.
The governing body for college sports issued its first-ever NIL sanction on Friday, suspending Miami women’s basketball coach Katie Meier for three games for introducing the twins, Haley and Hanna Cavinder, to billionaire promoter John Ruiz.
The Miami-based booster posted a photo last April showing the Hurricanes stars outside of his house after dinner and it’s gotten the program in trouble. Meier served the suspension at the beginning of the season.
The twins themselves were not punished as the NCAA isn’t looking to take athletes to task over infractions.
“A case involving Miami women’s basketball players Haley and Hanna Cavinder reached a negotiated resolution that resulted in a three-game suspension for Hurricanes coach Katie Meier, which she served at the beginning of the 2022-23 season,” Sports Illustrated reports.
“The Cavinder twins, who are social media sensations with a vast following, were not sanctioned—which is consistent with the NCAA’s stance that it does not plan to penalize athletes themselves for NIL-adjacent infractions.”
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The Hurricanes women’s program was also fined $5,000 plus one percent of their budget and put on probation for a year, while their official visits and recruiting days have also been reduced.
Ruiz was not disassociated from the program, having violated NIL rules by contacting the Cavinders and providing an “impermissible meal.”
The twins fired back at the NCAA on Saturday in video captioned “dear NCAA, scared that female athletes have value?.”
Meier was said to have violated her responsibility as a head coach as text messages between her and Ruiz show she set up the meeting between the parties.
