Waverly Austin Ruled Ineligible by USF

Per Greg Auman – Bad news for Coach Heath and the men’s basketball season.   One of their top recruits from the class of 2012, center Waverly Austin, has been ruled academically ineligible (ruled by USF, still eligible by NCAA) for the season and will play basketball somewhere else this season.

The 6-11 275-pound center/forward, widely regarded as the top JUCO player in the country, figured to be an instant contributor for Heath this season and a big player in the paint for the Bulls, but word came today that USF did not accept his AA degree and credits from Palm Beach State Community College.   Austin has been on campus all summer, attending classes and working out with the team, but will now head elsewhere to play basketball. 

This is a big blow for the team that was counting on Austin to play center this season and now will be even thinner on the front line, replacing Augustus Gilchrist and Ron Anderson Jr.  The Bulls do have big man Jordan Omogbehin who could factor in, but with his size and prior surgery, he is not being considered a starting player.  The Bulls will have to go with a smaller lineup that anticipated.  Newcomer Kore White, from FAU, could move to center.  Toarlyn Fitzpatrick, Victor Rudd (could play power forward), and freshman Zach LeDay could all factor more this season in the pain.