UPDATED: NCAA Suspends UConn's Coach Calhoun for Three Games

The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions has suspended head coach Jim Calhoun for three Big East games next season, as part of the penalties UConn will face for violating NCAA rules.

"I am very disappointed with the NCAA’s decision in this case," said Calhoun in a statement released by the university. "My lawyer and I are evaluating my options and will make a decision which way to proceed. In the meantime, I will not make any further statements about the case as our program prepares for what I hope will be an exciting and successful postseason."

Additional penalties include “scholarship reductions for three academic years, recruiting restrictions, permanent disassociation of a booster and three years probation,” according to the NCAA. The three years probation begins today.

There will be no post-season bans.

The NCAA’s notice of allegations sent to then-UConn President Michael Hogan in May 2010, cited a number of possible violations concerning the men’s basketball program.

The case included “impermissible” contact with prospective student-athletes in excess of 160 phone calls and 191 text messages, “impermissible” benefits to a prospective student-athlete(s), and Calhoun’s supposed failure “to promote an atmosphere of compliance” in the men’s basketball program, among other violations.

"We have worked closely with the NCAA from the time we learned of the allegations," said UConn Director of Athletics, Jeffrey A. Hathaway, in a statement released by the university.

In addition, former men’s basketball director Beau Archibald received a two-year show-cause order that “limits his athletically related duties,” following the NCAA’s findings that Archibald “failed to deport himself in accordance with the honesty and integrity associated with the administration of intercollegiate athletics,” according to the NCAA’s notice of allegations sent to the university in May.

"This is deeply disappointing to the UConn community," said UConn interim President Philip Austin, in a statement released by the university. "Let me be very clear, we will comply fully with the NCAA’s sanctions and work with great resolve to restore the luster to our men’s basketball program."

The NCAA imposed the following penalties on the university, according to information provided on the NCAA Web site:

• Public reprimand and censure.

• Three years of probation from February 22, 2011, through February 21, 2014. The public infractions report further details the conditions of this probation.

• The head coach must be suspended from all coaching duties for the first three conference games of the 2011-12 season. He cannot be present in the arena where the games are played and cannot have contact with the coaching staff or student-athletes during the games.

• Two-year show-cause order for the former operations director (Feb. 22, 2011, through Feb. 21, 2013). The public report further details the conditions of this penalty.

• Permanent disassociation of the involved booster. The public infractions report includes further details.

• Reduction of men's basketball athletics scholarships from 13 to 12 for the 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years.

• Ban on men’s basketball recruiting calls during the 2011-12 academic year until 30 days after the first day that phone calls are allowed.

• Reduction in the number of men’s basketball coaches allowed to make phone calls from three to two, not including the head basketball coach, for six months after the university’s response to the notice of allegations (self-imposed by the university).

• Reduction of the number of men’s basketball off-campus recruiting days by 40, from 130 to 90, for the 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 recruiting periods.

• Limit of five official paid visits for men’s basketball for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years.

• The head coach, assistant coach and all members of the compliance staff must attend the NCAA Regional Rules Seminar.

"When we submitted our response to the NCAA Committee on Infractions acknowledging violations in the men’s basketball program, we immediately self-imposed a series of penalties and corrective measures that are included as part of the NCAA Committee on Infractions report," said Hathaway in a statement realeased by the university. "We are disappointed that the Committee determined that additional penalties needed to be imposed. We value the principles of the NCAA and fully recommit ourselves to running a program of impeccable integrity."

The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions’ decision comes in the midst of a successful season for the Huskies. The men are 20-6 overall and 8-6 in the Big East Conference. UConn is scheduled to play Marquette at the XL Center in Hartford on Thursday at 7 p.m.