Louisville Players Settle Lawsuit With NCAA; 2013 Title Not Restored

Five former University of Louisville basketball players settled their lawsuit against the NCAA, regarding the school being forced to vacate wins, reports the Louisville Courier Journal.

In February 2018, the NCAA upheld a ruling on the basketball program, ordering the school to vacate its 2013 championship amid an escort scandal.

"We are thrilled to confirm that we have reached an agreement with the NCAA on behalf of our clients — Luke Hancock, Gorgui Dieng, Stephen Van Treese, Tim Henderson and Michael Marra — that affirms the players were eligible student athletes from 2011-2014, and that their awards, honors and statistics are validated — without an asterisk," Morgan & Morgan law firm said in a statement.

The players claimed their reputations were harmed in being associated with the escort scandal.

The ruling came amid an NCAA investigation into claims that escort Katina Powell made involving former Louisville player, graduate assistant coach and director of basketball operations Andre McGee. Powell says McGee paid her and other escorts thousands of dollars.

Powell also says that she received game tickets for five seasons in exchange for providing sex for recruits and players.

Louisville was ordered to vacate 123 wins in which athletes were ineligible from the 2011–12 through the 2015 academic years, including a 2012 Final Four appearance and the 2013 national title and to return all revenue they earned for appearing in the 2012–15 NCAA tournaments.

Hancock's NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player award in 2013 which had an asterisk in the record book next to it, was also removed.