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Mike Magpayo was introduced as Fordham’s new basketball coach in March following the firing of Keith Ugro. The new leader will take over a program fresh off of back-to-back losing seasons.
He’ll also inherit an NCAA punishment stemming from recruiting violations under the previous regime. The Rams will be on probation after providing “impermissible benefits” to a number of different prospects.
Urgo was relieved of his duties after three seasons in New York. His first stint was his best as the team finished 25-8. Success tapered soon thereafter.
The Rams went a combined 25-41 across the last two years. Urgo was let go following the hiring of a new athletic director. He leaves a bit of a mess for his successor.
Fordham’s new basketball coach inherits NCAA penalty.
Urgo was mysteriously suspended earlier this season for unknown recruiting violations. Details of those infractions have now been made public.
Fordham failed to monitor its men’s basketball program when eight prospects were provided impermissible benefits during official visits and the program violated publicity- before-signing rules with 24 prospects.
Violations included taking recruits on trips to New York Giants and Knicks games, as well as the US Open. One specific strike involved a meet-and-greet with a Giants QB while another noted jet ski rentals. Those instances exceeded the permissible $75/day limit for entertainment.
In a world where programs are now paying millions for basketball prospects to attend their schools, these violations seem silly. Still, Fordham basketball did technically break NCAA rule despite Urgo’s insistence that he was unaware of doing so.
The most bizarre of the bunch was a photoshoot set up by the program in Times Square. The team was cited for “impermissible publicity” after having a professional photographer snap photos of prospects on their visits.
From June 2021 through November 2022, the men’s basketball staff arranged for approximately 24 men’s basketball prospective student-athletes to participate in impermissible public photo shoots at Times Square in New York City during their official visits. The men’s basketball staff arranged for a professional photographer and provided institutional uniforms to the men’s basketball prospective student-athletes and institutionally branded hats and/or shirts to their families to wear during the photo shoots. The public activities constituted impermissible publicity of a prospective student-athlete.
Mike Magpayo will now take over a program on probation, in part, because of photos taken in Times Square. The final penalty from the NCAA included three years of probation, a reduction of official visits, a one-week ban of off-campus recruiting activities, an eight-week ban on recruiting communication with prospects, and a vacation of wins between 2021-2023.
It’s not an ideal situation for a coach attempting to provide a quick turnaround.