Louisville must vacate basketball title, NCAA denies appeal

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville officials are not happy with the NCAA's decision that mandates the school vacate its 2013 men's basketball championship in the wake of an embarrassing sex scandal, and interim President Greg Postel did not hide his disappointment.

It's the first time a Division 1 men's basketball program has been stripped of a national title. While acknowledging the scandal was unacceptable, Postel believes the school's cooperation with the NCAA should have counted for more than it did.

But today Louisville announced that an NCAA appeals panel had upheld sanctions against the men's program. As a result, the Cardinals have to vacate not only the championship, but 122 other victories and return about $600,000 in conference revenue from the 2012-15 NCAA Tournaments.

"I cannot say this strongly enough: We believe the NCAA is simply wrong," Postel said. "We disagree with the NCAA ruling for reasons we clearly stated in our appeal. And we made a strong case – based on NCAA precedent – that supported our argument."

Louisville may have presented a strong case, but the NCAA had its own convictions.

The decision by the governing body's Infraction Appeals Committee ruled the NCAA has the authority to take away championships for what it considers major rule violations. In the eight-page decision, the NCAA also refuted Louisville's position that the governing body exceeded its boundaries and didn't follow its own precedent established in other cases.

Louisville now must forfeit its third NCAA title, victories and income from 2011-15, part of the time frame during which the violations occurred.