In July 2018, Luke Hancock hired law firm Morgan and Morgan to help him and four other former Louisville players sue the NCAA for damaging their reputations and casting them in a false light after they vacated their records, wins, and the 2013 NCAA Championship. These vacations occurred due to an escort scandal that rocked the program, but that the players involved in the suit denied being involved in.
Among the things the players were seeking, were monetary compensation for damages and the return of all records, wins, and the championship. They also asked that the court declare they were innocent of any wrongdoing that was implied by the NCAA ruling.
The case went into mediation back in February with both sides trying to hammer out a deal. Last night, both sides agreed to a settlement that has brought the litigation to an end.
While the 2013 banner will not be raised again to the rafters of the KFC Yum! Center, Luke will have the asterisk removed from his 2013 Most Outstanding Player award. He can now be fully recognized as the recipient of it for his play in the Final Four and Championship game.
Hancock, Gorgui Dieng, Stephen Van Treese, Tim Henderson, and Mike Marra will all have any stats, individual records, and any other honors they attained between the years of 2011-2014 fully recognized and validated with no asterisks. They are also recognized as having been fully eligible during those years.
While not a total victory, it is a victory nonetheless. Maybe one day, the entire team can be recognized once again for their accomplishments as individuals and for their accomplishment as a whole team of winning the 2013 championship. For now, we can at least recognize Luke Hancock, Gorgui Dieng, Stephen Van Treese, Tim Henderson, and Mike Marra as some of the most accomplished and storied athletes in UofL Men’s Basketball history.
Morgan and Morgan issued this statement on behalf of Hancock, Van Treese, Dieng, Marra, and Henderson:
Statement from Morgan & Morgan, attorneys for former Louisville players who settled with the NCAA pic.twitter.com/VdtUI72gL9
— Eric Crawford (@ericcrawford) September 30, 2019
The NCAA issued this statement in response to the settlement:
NCAA statement on today’s settlement with Louisville players pic.twitter.com/pg5YGAxd4T
— Eric Crawford (@ericcrawford) October 1, 2019
Louisville AD Vince Tyra also released a statement in response to the settlement:
Vince Tyra statement on NCAA settlement with players from the 2013 Louisville basketball team pic.twitter.com/eDpxAHdaVR
— Eric Crawford (@ericcrawford) October 1, 2019
