Former Louisville basketball player and graduate assistant Andre McGee hired strippers and prostitutes to perform for Louisville players, recruits and, in some cases, the recruits’ fathers, according to a new book called “Breaking Cardinal Rules.”
The book, published by IBJ Book Publishing, is set to be released as soon as Saturday, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal.
Here’s the Journal’s summary of the story:
The book tells the story of Louisville stripper and escort Katina Powell. She claims she was hired repeatedly by former University of Louisville basketball staffer Andre McGee to provide strippers and prostitutes during the campus visits of highly sought high school basketball players—and in some cases their fathers—as well as then-current Louisville players. The book names players involved.
McGee, who played for the Cardinals from 2005-2009, was a Louisville graduate assistant for two years before being promoted to director of basketball operations in 2012. McGee left the school in 2014 to take an assistant coaching job for the University of Missouri at Kansas City.
In her book, the 43-year-old Powell said she provided entertainment for 22 parties from 2010 to 2014, many at Billy Minardi Hall, an on-campus dormitory for many Louisville basketball players. The dorm is named after Louisville men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino’s brother-in-law, who was killed in the 9/11 attacks in New York.
At the parties, a number of women—including Powell and three of her daughters—stripped and danced in front of the Louisville recruits and players—as well as performed sex acts with them, said Powell.
At those parties, Powell said, high school-age recruits were offered alcohol by McGee, who also arranged additional payment to her and her dancers if the recruits wanted to have sex with them.
Louisville issued a statement saying it was working with the NCAA on the allegations.
“The University of Louisville first learned of these allegations when the Indianapolis Business Journal contacted the University’s sports information department seeking comment in late August.
“The University was shocked to hear of the allegations. The University’s athletics compliance department was immediately notified. Chuck Smrt of the Compliance Group was retained to conduct a thorough, objective review of this information. Mr. Smrt is an outside expert who has 34 years of NCAA regulatory experience, including over 17 years with the NCAA enforcement staff.
“In coordination with the University’s legal counsel and faculty athletics representative, Mr. Smrt’s review was quickly launched to assess the validity of the information and the potential for any NCAA rules violations. The University, on its own initiative, notified the NCAA Enforcement Staff regarding this matter and has been in regular communication with them.
“The University of Louisville will continue its review in full cooperation and coordination with the NCAA and if warranted, take any appropriate action. The allegations have been taken very seriously. In no way would anyone at this institution condone the alleged activities. To preserve the integrity of the review process, the University will withhold comment on any details until the review is concluded.
