Fordham men's basketball: Rams hit with $35,000 fine among other penalties over recruiting violations

The NCAA penalized Fordham University on Tuesday after its men's basketball program was found to have committed recruiting violations from June 2021 to April 2023. According to a report published on the NCAA's Legislative Services Database, eight prospects of the men's basketball team were provided impermissible benefits during their official visits.

The Rams' program was also found to have violated publicity-before-signing rules with 24 of their prospects. As a result of these infractions, Keith Urgo (then head coach of the men's basketball team) and Trevonn Morton (director of men's basketball operations) have been held accountable.

They received several penalties because of those violations, including three years of probation. The Rams were also fined $35,000 plus 2% of the budget of the men’s basketball program.

Fordham also had self-imposed sanctions, including a one-week ban on off-campus recruiting activities during the recruiting period in July 2025, an eight-week ban on recruiting communications with the Rams' prospects during the 2024-25 year, a 10% reduction in recruiting-person days during the 2023-24 campaign and a reduction of official visits for the men's basketball team during the 2024-25 season.

Urgo, who was fired by the Rams last month, was given a two-year show-cause order, including a suspension from 12% of the men’s basketball regular-season games. A three-year show-cause order was also given to Morton. That included a two-week suspension from all athletically-related activities.

A one-year show-cause order was also handed to Ed Kull, the director of athletics at Fordham. That included a prohibition against meeting with prospects of the men’s basketball team during official visits within his show-cause period.

The Rams were also forced to vacate their wins and records during the two seasons in which the ineligible players competed for Fordham.

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How did Fordham fare in the 2024-25 NCAA season?

Keith Urgo started his coaching career at Fordham with a bang, leading the Rams to a 25-8 overall record in the 2022-23 season. The Rams failed to replicate that performance the following two seasons, amassing a combined 25-41 slate in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 campaigns.

Head coach Keith Urgo in action during the first half of the game against the Dayton Flyers at Barclays Center on March 11, 2023, in New York City. Photo: Getty

Things were looking bright for the Rams last December, winning five games in a row against New Hampshire, Fairleigh Dickinson, Maine, Bryant and UAlbany to improve their record to 8-5. The good vibes quickly disappeared, though, as the Rams followed that unbeaten run with a six-game losing streak.

The Rams finished the 2024-25 season with a 12-21 record, including a 3-15 slate in the Atlantic 10 Conference. They lost nine of their last 10 games, including a 23-point defeat against George Washington on Mar. 5.