Kevin Broadus - Broadus at Binghamton

Broadus At Binghamton

See also: Binghamton University basketball scandal

In two short seasons, Kevin Broadus vaulted Binghamton's basketball program to the top of the America East Conference. After directing a three-game improvement in his first season in 2007–08, Broadus's Bearcats completed a remarkable season in 2008-09. They won a school record-tying 23 games and a share of the America East regular season title. After defeating opponents from the Big East, Conference USA and MAAC in the non-conference schedule, Binghamton stormed through the America East slate at a 13–3 clip, capping an undefeated February with a title-clinching home court win in front of a sellout 5,222 fans at the Events Center. They lost to Duke in the first round of the NCAA Tournament—a game that was seen by millions of basketball fans across the country as CBS's highlighted late game on March 19.

As quickly as Broadus brought the Bearcats to the top of the America East Conference, the aftermath of their great 2008–09 season has brought player arrests, dismissals, the reassignment of the school's long-time athletic director, and the indefinite reassignment of Broadus himself. In September 2009, Broadus released six players from the team for undisclosed team rules violations. Soon after, Joel Thirer, Binghamton's athletic director and the man who hired Broadus, was reassigned to a position outside the athletic department. On October 6, 2009, Broadus committed an NCAA violation by communicating with high school players during a no-contact period. On October 14, Broadus was placed on paid administrative leave—effectively a suspension with pay—pending a full investigation of operations into the Binghamton University men's basketball program. Assistant Mark Macon was named interim coach.

The moves have left the Binghamton men's basketball program in a state of turmoil. The Bearcats started the 2009-10 season with only seven scholarship players, an interim coach, and an interim athletic director. Investigation into the actions of Broadus and the athletic department have gone past the university level and is being handled by the chancellor of the SUNY system, Nancy Zimpher.

In March, Zimpher announced that while Broadus will not return as coach, a permanent replacement won't be hired until the school has a permanent president and athletic director.

The NCAA completed its investigation in October. It found that assistant coach Mark Hsu had committed secondary violations by providing transportation to players. However, due to a lack of cooperation from people involved in the case, the NCAA was unable to determine whether major violations occurred. Shortly afterward, Broadus was reassigned to another position in the athletic department.

On October 29, Broadus announced he was filing a federal discrimination lawsuit against Binghamton and SUNY. Hours later, the three parties reached a settlement in which Broadus would resign and take a $1.2 million buyout in return for dropping all legal action against BU or SUNY.

On June 22, 2011 it was announced that Broadus would return to the Hoyas' staff as a "special assistant," serving in a non-recruiting role.

On April 30, 2012, it was announced that Georgetown had elevated Broadus into a full-time assistant coach position. In a prior position at Georgetown and at George Washington University, Broadus "earned a reputation for his ability to recruit academically at-risk players from so-called diploma mills."