NASHVILLE, Tenn. — North Carolina’s highly anticipated hearing in front of the NCAA Committee on Infractions began today in Nashville, Tenn. The hearing is closed to the public, but assistant sports editor James Tatter is on the scene with some updates from the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center.
- Women’s basketball head coach Sylvia Hatchell and former women’s basketball academic counselor Jan Boxill were the big names who arrived early. Hatchell left the conference room again to re-enter with the larger UNC delegation consisting of chancellor Carol Folt, athletic director Bubba Cunningham, senior associate director of athletics Vince Ille, football head coach Larry Fedora and men’s basketball head coach Roy Williams. The group, accompanied by legal counsel for the school and its coaches, arrived just minutes before the 8:30 a.m. start time listed in the NCAA’s letter to the University on July 25.
- In the closed session, the NCAA Committee on Infractions will continue a hearing on the five allegations levied against the university, which include lack of institutional control. The hearing should continue until Thursday evening, at which point the University may or may not issue a statement. The NCAA has expressed that it does not expect to issue a statement on the hearing over the next two days — consistent with Article 19 in the NCAA rulebook.
- Various members of the UNC contingent, as well as members of the committee, have been seen entering and exiting the room a few hours into the hearing. This gives indication that the panel is not necessarily questioning or hearing from the entire contingent at once.
- Williams, a three-time NCAA champion at UNC, made sure to show his entry wristband at the door as he brought up the rear of the University’s contingent.
