Saint Joseph’s Brooklyn AD Faces NCAA Fraud Allegations
AD Megan Valentine Accused of Deception in Player Commitment
By Rick LaRivière and Dick LaFontaine
Are we teaching our student-athletes that dishonesty is OK, so long as everyone is happy? Saint Joseph's University Brooklyn Athletic Director Megan Valentine is under fire for just that following an NCAA complaint alleging fraudulent actions.
The complaint, Log ID 172047619, accuses Valentine of impersonating a head coach and signing off on a player’s summer league commitment under false pretenses.
Violation of NCAA and NACSB Rules
NCAA rules state that players must be on an NCAA roster in the spring to play in a summer collegiate league. The player involved was cut from the Saint Joseph University team in January 2024, making him ineligible for the summer 2024 league.
The National Alliance of College Summer Baseball (NACSB), partially funded by Major League Baseball, governs the summer league. Valentine’s actions violated both NCAA and NACSB regulations. The commitment letter was signed on May 2, before the college season ended on May 4, raising questions about the player's eligibility.
Valentine signed a commitment letter as a head coach while the actual coach was still under contract.
She falsely claimed the player was on the Saint Joseph University roster in spring 2024.
She signed off on the player’s fall 2024 commitment despite the player being undecided.
Sources say Valentine told the player to "seek mental help" when he was cut in January 2024. Facing pressure and a potential lawsuit, Valentine allegedly signed off on the player’s commitment fraudulently.
The Official Complaint
This outlet received a copy of an Official NCAA Complaint against AD Valentine:
Complaint Log ID 172047619
AD Megan Valentine intentionally deceived and fraudulently acted as an imposter while pretending to be a head coach with a sanctioned MLB/NCAA-sponsored collegiate baseball league.
1. While signing off as the head coach on the Letter of commitment in the league portal assignment, while the head coach was still under contract at the University.
2. Making a false statement by saying the player was on the Saint Joseph University roster in the spring of 2024
3. AD Megan Valentine continued to deceive and fraudulently signed off on the student-athlete's letter of commitment, stating that he would be playing in the fall of 2024 when the application clearly states he is undecided.
The rules state that the player needs to be assigned to an NCAA Roster in the spring before the summer of the collegiate league starts.
The player was released/cut from the baseball team at Saint Joseph University prior to commencement to league play for the college season (Spring 2024); therefore, it made him ineligible to play for the collegiate league of summer 2024.
The Player himself might have deceived and fraudulently signed up for the league as well with the help of AD Megan Valentine.
Request for Comment and Response
This outlet contacted AD Valentine for comment:
On Mon, Jul 8, 2024 at 2:33 PM Dick LaFontaine, Investigative Journalist <RALafontaine@protonmail.com> wrote:
Ms. Valentine,
We are investigating NCAA Complaint Log 172047619. The allegations are that you signed off on an official commitment letter for an NCAA sanctioned summer league when the player was not on the baseball roster at your school, Saint Joseph's University. You are the Athletic Director.
Is this true?
A source has verified the NCAA Complaint.
Do you have any comment?
Regards,Dick LaFontaine
Investigative Journalist
Initially, AD Valentine responded:
On Tuesday, July 9th, 2024 at 4:49 PM, Megan Valentine <mvalentine2@sjny.edu> wrote
Hi, Dick:
Can you please provide me a little bit more of your background and where you received this information from? NCAA information is not public so I am curious where you have received this information?
Best of luck to you,
Megan
AD Valentine wanted our journalists to disclose their protected sources.
Journalists and Protected Sources
Disclosure of protected sources is illegal under New York law and the explicit press shield law of many states. In some instances, brave journalists are jailed before they reveal their sources. This is par for the course in authoritarian countries.
In America, we have defined civil liberties and a free press. Central to these rights is the inherent promise that third parties, particularly the government, cannot compel information communicated to journalists.
But that is precisely what AD Valentine wanted us to do: reveal our sources. This outlet responded as follows:
On Tuesday, July 9th, 2024 at 9:40 PM, Dick LaFontaine, Investigative Journalist <RALafontaine@protonmail.com> wrote:
Ms. Valentine,
I cannot reveal my sources. Under section 79-h of the New York Civil Rights law, they are protected.
It's a pretty simple issue. As Athletic Director, did you sign off on any commitment letters for players to use in NCAA sanctioned summer leagues? If you did, was this a mistake, or was this dishonesty? Are you a victim here?
This is part of a larger trend of phony credentialling in NCAA sanctioned activities.
I am also trying to track down the Head Coach, but I haven't been able to reach them. Do you have any details?
Regards,
Dick LaFontaine
Investigative Journalist
“Journalists who leak their sources’ secrets are worse than prison snitches and rats,” said investigative reporter Richard Luthmann, a contributor to this outlet.
“It’s a cardinal sin in journalism, one that many in the mainstream media no longer respect. It’s based on trust and the ability to keep your mouth shut. I could do six months standing on my head in a trashcan, or more if necessary, before I gave up one stitch of information about any of my sources. Too many so-called reporters today don’t have that in their DNA,” Luthmann said.
Circling Back
We followed up with AD Valentine again for clarification:
------- Forwarded Message -------
From: Dick LaFontaine, Investigative Journalist <RALafontaine@protonmail.com>
Date: On Wednesday, July 10th, 2024 at 1:41 PM
Subject: Re: NCAA Dishonesty Story
To: Megan Valentine <mvalentine2@sjny.edu>
I just wanted to circle back for comment before I published. Let me know.Regards,
Dick LaFontaine
Investigative Journalist
AD Megan Valentine provided no response.
Before publication, we reached out to Saint Joseph's Assistant Director for Athlete Compliance, Katie Bell:
------- Forwarded Message -------
From: Rick LaRivière <RickLaRiviere@proton.me>
Date: On Wednesday, July 24th, 2024 at 2:21 PM
Subject: AD Megan Valentine and NCAA Dishonesty - Complaint Log ID 172047619
To: kbell@sjny.edu <kbell@sjny.edu>
CC: RALafontaine@protonmail.com <RALafontaine@protonmail.com>Assistant Director for Athlete Compliance Bell:
We previously reached out the AD Megan Valentine about the above-referenced NCAA Complaint for dishonesty. She responded by asking us to reveal our protected journalistic sources.
Before we published, we wanted to circle back to see if you had any comment.This outlet received a copy of an Official NCAA Complaint against AD Valentine:
Complaint Log ID 172047619
AD Megan Valentine intentionally deceived and fraudulently acted as an imposter while pretending to be a head coach with a sanctioned MLB/NCAA-sponsored collegiate baseball league.
1. While signing off as the head coach on the Letter of commitment in the league portal assignment, while the head coach was still under contract at the University.
2. Making a false statement by saying the player was on the Saint Joseph University roster in the spring of 2024
3. AD Megan Valentine continued to deceive and fraudulently signed off on the student-athlete's letter of commitment, stating that he would be playing in the fall of 2024 when the application clearly states he is undecided.
The rules state that the player needs to be assigned to an NCAA Roster in the spring before the summer of the collegiate league starts.
The player was released/cut from the baseball team at Saint Joseph University prior to commencement to league play for the college season (Spring 2024); therefore, it made him ineligible to play for the collegiate league of summer 2024.
The Player himself might have deceived and fraudulently signed up for the league as well with the help of AD Megan Valentine.
Our investigation shows that Saint Joseph's University Brooklyn AD Valentine improperly signed off on a Player to play in a summer college baseball league in May 2024 when the player was not on a spring 2024 baseball roster. The player was cut in January 2024. This is an NCAA and NACSB violation.
The NACSB is an alliance of non-profit summer collegiate baseball leagues that are each partially funded by Major League Baseball. Members of the NACSB provide a platform for elite college baseball players to compete at a high level. Players are bound by NCAA eligibility and are sent to each member league by their college coach.
The letter of commitment was signed off on May 2. The college season did not end until May 4 so the question is how could AD Valentine sign off on a player that didn't play the spring 2024 season as a student athlete when he cut from the team in January 2024?Sources say AD Valentine told the player he needed "to seek mental help" when he was cut/released from the team in January 2024. Because of her statements and the threat of a lawsuit, pressure was put on AD Valentine to give the player whatever he wanted. It appears she knowingly and fraudulently signed off on a letter of commitment to play in an NCAA-sanctioned summer college baseball league.
Where is the accountability for AD Megan Valentine?We request comment.
Thanks,
Rick LaRivière
Investigative Reporter
As of press time, no one from Saint Joseph’s provided further response.
Stay tuned as this story develops.
https://www.silive.com/crime-safety/2021/08/trial-by-combat-lawyer-richard-luthmann-released-from-federal-custody.html