"Been a dark cloud over my family, our program": Keith Urgo gives candid response as NCAA investigation into Fordham MBB comes to close

NCAA Basketball: Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament Semifinals-Fordham vs Dayton - Source: Imagn — NCAA Basketball: Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament Semifinals-Fordham vs Dayton (image credit: IMAGN)

Keith Urgo was the coach of Fordham from 2022 to 2025. He had a strong first season, amassing a 25-8 (12-6 A-10) overall record, but struggled in his final two campaigns. Last season, the Rams finished 12-21 (3-15), and Urgo was fired.

His tenure as coach was mired in controversy. The NCAA had been investigating Urgo's involvement in a recruiting violation scandal that began in 2021. On Tuesday, the NCAA revealed the full scope of its investigation. Although Urgo was found guilty of violating NCAA rules, he told The New York Post that he is relieved that the investigation is over and he and his family can move on.

"It’s a sigh of relief for my family and I," Urgo said on Wednesday. "It’s been something that’s been hovering over us for almost three years now. It’s been a dark cloud over my family, our program, and just finally closing it and just being able to move on, I think seemed incredibly important for me and my career. Just excited to kind of put it past us."

What did the NCAA find Keith Urgo guilty of in its investigation into recruiting violations?

In a release on Tuesday, the NCAA revealed that Keith Urgo "violated ethical conduct rules" and "head coach responsibility rules." The violation included a photoshoot at Times Square for prospective recruits. He was found to have spent $10,736 on entertainment expenses for eight player visits over two years.

It exceeded the amount the NCAA allows colleges to spend on players on recruiting trips. NCAA rules permit programs to spend $75 per day for entertainment expenses during official visits.

According to the report, some of the expenses were jet ski rentals and tickets to sporting events in New York City. Overages per trip ranged from as low a $35 to as high as $5,595. While Urgo did not deny the findings, he believes that the investigation was more hostile than it needed to be. He told The New York Post that he felt like the NCAA was treating him like a criminal.

The Rams were fined $35,000 plus 2% of the budget for the men's basketball program.

About the author

Alexander O'Reilly is a journalist at Sportskeeda from Kingston, Ontario with over seven years in the field at companies including SenShot, RVBlogger, Monarch Media, WordAgents, GSeC LLC, and IGC.

His favorite college team is Duke, and his favorite sporting memory was Duke winning March Madness in 2010. JJ Redick was Alex's favorite college player when he was young but more recently, Caleb Williams gets the nod. As the Chicago Bears are Alex's favorite NFL team, this was a perfect match.

Alex's proudest moment came when he was interviewed by a radio station in Ottawa on his opinion on recent moves by the Ottawa Senators, which gave him a confidence boost and the knowledge that he could succeed as a writer.

Aside from sports, Alex likes to spend his time playing games. He is also very passionate about running and strives to improve at the half and full marathon distances.

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez