Ties cut with ex-tutor as NCAA investigates UNC football

The University cut ties with a former UNC tutor and listed five other people who have given illegal benefits to UNC football players, including three former players.

Former Tar Heel standout Hakeem Nicks was named along with Mahlon Carey, Omar Brown and Vernon Davis as having given benefits to football players.

The update on the NCAA investigation into football players states that Nicks gave $3,300 to players in lodging, travel, transportation and entertainment expenses.

Carey gave $140 and Brown gave $1,865, the report states. Both played football at North Carolina.

Davis, a Maryland alumnus and San Francisco 49er, gave $20, the report states.

The report also listed an unknown Miami resident who gave $323.

“The total value … includes the estimated value of lodging provided in their homes and some of which was repaid by the involved student-athletes before they or their hosts knew that receipt of the benefits violated NCAA rules,” according to the report.

Safety Deunta Williams said he had spent time with Brown on two trips to Disneyland during previous offseasons.

Chris Hawkins, who has received a disassociation letter from athletic director Dick Baddour, linked Carey with current player Kendric Burney in an interview with The Daily Tar Heel.

Baddour also sent a disassociation letter to Jennifer Wiley, the tutor that provided illegal academic aid.

The letter states that Wiley has provided more than $2,000 in illegal financial benefits.

“In that regard the University has developed information that confirms that in 2010 you provided impermissible extra benefits to some of our student-athletes, including impermissible financial assistance in excess of $2,000 in connection with travel and transportation issues,” the letter states.

The letter is the third such disassociation letter released by the University that Baddour has sent, with the previous two going to A.J. Machado and Hawkins.

Machado gave jewelry to one student-athlete who was ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA.

On Oct. 11, Robert Quinn and Greg Little were ruled permanently ineligible from play for violating NCAA agent benefits, preferential treatment and ethical conduct rules. Both received jewelry as part of their extra benefits.

Hawkins, a former North Carolina cornerback, acted as a runner for various agents and provided illegal benefits to three student-athletes, UNC has said.

The University also said that records requested by the DTH of 11 parking tickets given to players were protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and would not be released.

Junior defensive end Michael McAdoo is the only player whose status is still undetermined. UNC coach Butch Davis said Thursday he had no update on McAdoo.

Contact the Sports Editor

at sports@unc.edu.