USM assistant hoops coach told to leave
By By Will Bardwell / staff writer
Sept. 17, 2003
HATTIESBURG Southern Miss assistant basketball coach Luster Goodwin "was told he had to resign" following secondary NCAA violations, according to USM athletic director Richard Giannini.
Goodwin's departure followed revelations that he held individual workouts for student-athletes before they were admitted to USM, and that he provided "non-permissible" transportation to two basketball players.
Federal law prohibits university officials from naming the students. However, Giannini confirmed that Brannon Hayes and Rudolph Mauricette, both of whom signed with USM out of Lee Junior College in Baytown, Texas, are no longer in Hattiesburg.
Hayes and Mauricette have been ruled academically ineligible to compete at the Division I level.
USM's internal investigation began when the university's Center for International and Continuing Education discovered differences between transcripts that were received this summer and a transcript that was received on Sept. 3. Mauricette is from France, and federal law now requires background checks on all international students.
Don Olberhelman, the university's NCAA compliance director, said it became apparent that the students' transcripts had been "doctored."
Olberhelman said no evidence exists that Goodwin made the changes, but the investigation revealed Goodwin's non-permissible transportation.
Giannini said that Goodwin lied when he was questioned about the incident.
Olberhelman talked to the athletes and they told him (about the transportation). That's when I called him, and he was told he had to resign."
Giannini said Goodwin did so immediately.
Olberhelman said not all transportation is prohibited by NCAA rules, but Goodwin's was a clear violation.
According to Olberhelman, the university submitted an infractions letter to the NCAA on Monday. The secondary violations are not likely to carry any infractions.
Goodwin was first hired by Southern Miss in 2000 after a five-year stint as an assistant at Texas-El Paso.
