Ex-Louisville players’ stats, honors restored as part of NCAA settlement

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A group of former Louisville men’s basketball players have reached a confidential settlement of a lawsuit with the NCAA that did not restore the Cardinals’ vacated 2013 national championship and 2012 Final Four but retains the players’ statistics and honors “without an asterisk.”

The players sued the governing body in July 2018 seeking restoration of the school’s NCAA title, wins, honors and awards vacated among sanctions for violations discovered during an escort scandal investigation. Cardinals captain Luke Hancock, the 2013 Final Four Most Outstanding Player, Gorgui Dieng and three other teammates alleged in the suit that the NCAA cast them in a false light and wrongfully vacated their achievements.

Attorney John Morgan said Monday night in a statement that “we are thrilled” to have reached the agreement affirming his clients’ eligibility from 2011-14 and validating their accomplishments. The statement added that settlement documents or further comment could not be provided because of confidentiality.

Morgan’s full statement is below.

“We are thrilled to confirm that we have reached an agreement with the NCAA on behalf of our clients – Luke Hancock, Gorgui Dieng, Stephan 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. This includes Luke Hancock’s NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player award in 2013. We would like to thank our mediator in the case, Pete Palmer, for his work in facilitating this agreement, the specific terms of which are confidential. Morgan & Morgan is not only for the people; we’re for the players.”