BOSTON -- A dozen defendants facing charges in the admissions bribery case known as "Operation Varsity Blues" pleaded not guilty Monday in federal court in Boston. The group includes former college coaches, standardized test administrators and former colleagues of William "Rick" Singer, the man at the center of the admissions scandal.
Singer has pleaded guilty and is cooperating with prosecutors.
All 12 defendants face a federal charge of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a possible maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
Among the coaches are former University of Rhode Island tennis coach Gordon Ernst, who is alleged to have taken $2.7 million in bribes as a tennis coach at Georgetown.
Prosecutors say the Ernst designated at least 12 applicants as recruits for the team, including some who did not play tennis competitively, in exchange for the bribes.
Ernst, who had been on administrative leave from URI since March 12, resigned Saturday.
Among the other coaches and administrative officials arraigned Monday were Donna Heinel, former senior associate athletic director at USC; Jovan Vavic, former USC water polo coach; Ali Khosroshahin, former USC women's soccer coach; Laura Janke, former USC assistant women's soccer coach; Jorge Salcedo, former men's soccer coach at UCLA; and William Ferguson, Wake Forest women's volleyball coach, who is on administrative leave.
The coaches are accused of accepting bribes in exchange for labeling students as recruited athletes to help them get into elite universities.
Ferguson's attorney, Shaun Clarke, told reporters his client is innocent and "does not belong in this indictment."
"Two weeks ago the US Attorney told you about a litany of abuses -- phony test scores, unqualified students, falsified athletic profiles," Clarke said in a statement Monday. "Well, I can't speak to what happened at other schools, but not at Wake Forest University. No one was admitted to Wake Forest who didn't earn it, as a student and as an athlete."
Others who were arraigned Monday were Martin Fox, president of a private tennis academy; Igor Dvorskiy, director of a private school in Los Angeles; Mikaela Sanford, an employee of Singer's business; Steven Masera, an accountant and financial officer for Singer's business; and Niki Williams, a teacher in Houston who was a standardized test administrator.
Parents charged with paying bribes are due in court on later dates. They include Hollywood stars Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin.
The Associated Press and ESPN's John Barr contributed to this report.