PIAA overturns suspension of Nazareth coach

By a unanimous decision yesterday, a panel from the PIAA board of directors overturned last month's ruling to suspend Nazareth Academy basketball coach Greg Godfrey for violating the organization's rules pertaining to the recruitment of a student-athlete.

On behalf of Godfrey, Nazareth administrators, including principal Sister Mary Joan Jacobs, appealed a Sept. 10 decision by a PIAA regional (District 1 and 12) panel to suspend Godfrey for one year for his alleged involvement in the recruitment of a sophomore transfer from neighboring St. Hubert.

"We're very happy that the PIAA overturned the findings of the district panel," Danielle Wilson, Nazareth's athletic director, said. "We think they made the right decision in the end."

The student-athlete, whose name is being withheld by The Inquirer, was a three-sport athlete, excelling in basketball and lacrosse, at St. Hubert.

"People tried to say I recruited her," Godfrey, 33, said. "I told people from Day No. 1 that I never recruited her. She came to Nazareth for academic reasons.

"I'm going to try to coach somewhere. Coaching is my passion and in my blood. These last 31/2 weeks have been horrible."

The PIAA originally declared the athlete ineligible to compete in soccer, basketball and lacrosse for Nazareth this year. Shortly after the original hearing, she was cleared by the PIAA to resume playing soccer. Yesterday, the PIAA overturned the lacrosse suspension. Nazareth did not appeal the athlete's one-year suspension in basketball.

Despite the ruling, Godfrey is not expected back for a third season on the bench.

Between the original ruling and yesterday's appeal, Nazareth named Joe Brady, a CYO coach at St. Andrew Parish in Newtown, as the interim head coach for 2008-09.