When a contingent of UNC officials, coaches and their lawyers arrived at a Nashville hotel conference room Wednesday to argue their case before the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions, the former secretary at the center of the academic-athletic scandal wasn’t among them.

But when Crowder released an affidavit challenging the NCAA’s allegation that she acted unethically in creating the classes and in giving athletes special access to them, UNC’s attorneys quickly incorporated her claims.

Crowder’s interview testimony provided valuable information that reinforces core factual points in her affidavit and the University’s Response to the Second Amended Notice of Allegations,” UNC’s attorneys said.

They cited herclaims that the courses were available to all students, that athletes didn’t receive preferential treatment and that she graded no differently than her boss, Julius Nyang’oro, who was chairman of the African and Afro-American Studies department.

Some critics have argued the NCAA doesn’t need to make that call after the commission that accredits UNC found the courses lacked academic integrity and put it on a year’s probation.