UConn men's basketball target of probe

STORRS, Conn., May 28 (UPI) -- The University of Connecticut men's basketball program is under NCAA investigation for alleged recruiting violations, the school said Friday.

The NCAA notified Connecticut that it was looking into eight possible rules violations, including impermissible contact with recruits, improper benefits given a recruit by a representative of the school's athletic interests and impermissible benefit given to a recruit by a member of the basketball staff.

The notification also alleged that Coach Jim Calhoun failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance in the basketball program.

Calhoun issued a statement Friday saying: "While we may have made some mistakes in the recruiting process, UConn has never wavered in terms of its fostering and maintaining a strong culture of compliance and has always striven to meet the high standards expected of us."

UConn officials have until Aug. 20 to respond to the NCAA's allegations. School representatives are to appear before the association's Committee on Infractions during its meetings Oct. 15-16.

School officials and the NCAA have been looking into possible rules infractions since March 2009 when Yahoo! Sports reported that UConn recruit Nate Miles was given improper benefits -- lodging, meals and transportation -- by a professional agent who used to be affiliated with the Huskies' program. Miles was expelled from the school in October 2008 without ever having as much as practiced with the team.