MADISON, Wis. — The NCAA Committee on Infractions penalized UW-Madison on Thursday over impermissible calls between coaches and football recruits.

The committee found that nine football coaches and staffers in 2023 made a total 139 impermissible calls to 48 recruits, including 117 calls before the first permissible date to call recruits. Of the calls, 60 lasted one minute or less.

According to the committee’s findings, nine of the impermissible calls came from Badgers head football coach Luke Fickell. The calls were classified as Level II violations.

In its report, the committee acknowledged that the “vast majority” of the calls would be allowed under current rules.

“Wisconsin Athletics is deeply committed to maintaining the highest level of integrity and holding ourselves accountable. We believe in doing things the right way, no matter the consequences,” a Wisconsin Athletics spokesperson said in a statement to Channel3000.com, “The issue at hand occurred two years ago under a rule that was actively being changed and no longer exists. We identified the mistake and were proactive in self-reporting and investigating and resolving the issue.”

UW-Madison self-reported the violations in January 2024, and self-imposed several penalties during the 2023-24 school year including a three-week ban on recruiting communications for all football staff.

As a result of the violations, the NCAA put UW-Madison under one year of probation and issued a $25,000 fine. Additionally, Fickell and assistant coach Matt Mitchell were barred from communicating with high school recruits from June 15-21.

Former assistant coach Greg Scruggs and former director of player personnel Max Stienecker were both given one-year show-cause orders. The committee found that 71 of the impermissible calls came from Scruggs while 19 came from Stienecker.

This marks the Badgers’ first major infraction since the 2000 Shoe Box scandal that saw 26 players suspended for accepting improper discounts from a Black Earth retail store. The school was also placed on five years’ probation in the wake of the scandal.

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