Tennessee officials will meet with Volunteers junior forward Renaldo Woolridge to determine if he received free use of a Knoxville bar to film a music video, which may be an NCAA violation.
The Knoxville News Sentinel reported Woolridge received exclusive access to a portion of New Amsterdam Bar and Grill free of charge early Sunday morning, a few hours after the Vols (12-7) lost 72-61 at No. 5 Connecticut.
''We're looking into it right now. We're going to visit with Renaldo, visit with (Tennessee's compliance office) and find out if there was anything that was done that was in any way a violation of NCAA rules or extra benefits,'' Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl said Monday.
The News Sentinel reported that the use of the space was provided to Woolridge for free in an effort to support him and Tennessee athletics. Representatives of New Amsterdam did not return a call from The Associated Press on Monday.
Tennessee's football, basketball and baseball programs are currently the subject of an ongoing NCAA investigation. At the heart of the investigation is basketball coach Bruce Pearl's admission that he mislead NCAA investigators about hosting recruits at a team cookout at his house and other recruiting violations by Pearl and his staff.
Vols officials reported an additional secondary violation to the NCAA in December after discovering 33 athletes were given special treatment another Knoxville bar when they were given free entry while other patrons were charged between $5 and $10. None of those athletes received more than $70 in benefits and each paid their share of benefits to a charity.
Woolridge, a native of Sherman Oaks, Calif. and son of former NBA forward Orlando Woolridge, has recorded a number of rap songs and shot music videos under the name ''Swiperboy.'' He recorded a song for NFL Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry during his Heisman Trophy campaign at Tennessee in 2009 and released a song called ''Never Leave You Like Kiffin'' after football coach Lane Kiffin left Tennessee for Southern California in January 2010.
