The NCAA Appeals Committee has upheld previously announced sanctions against Louisville and the school will now be forced to vacate all wins that featured ineligible athletes during the 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. Most notable of the 123 wins that are being scrubbed from the records is the April 8, 2013 victory over Michigan to claim the 2013 NCAA National Championship. This is the first ever Division I NCAA title to be vacated after the fact, though several Final Four appearances have been in the past. Louisville will also lose their 2012 Final Four appearance.
What this means is that the University may no longer publicize victories from that time period, nor can they publicly acknowledge their achievements. Final Four and National Title banners will need to come down from the rafters of the KFC Yum! Center and the official record book will show that the 2013 NCAA Tournament did not have a winner.
According to the official NCAA release, the committee found that “because of the serious and intentional violations with direct involvement of a university staff member, the Committee on Infractions panel was within its legislated authority to prescribe the vacation of records and financial penalty.”
Head coach Rick Pitino resigned prior to the 2017-18 season on the heels of a new investigation, this time involving the FBI and Adidas. Pitino had coached the Cardinals since 2001 and the team is currently being lead by acting head coach – and former Pitino assistant and player – David Padgett.
