The official word on Ehimen.....

[The Mad Hatter]

Re: Eligibility

Khan, here's what Suellentrop's article said (with my highlighting):

"Because he took summer classes at WSU, he is considered a transfer from a four-year school to a junior college. He must graduate from junior college to attend any other NCAA Division I school.

He can return to Wichita State after one season, if WSU receives the exit exam and if Orupke becomes certified as eligible by the NCAA."

If that's the case, the best thing from WSU's standpoint would be for Ehimen to redshirt at Three Rivers this year. Meanwhile, Dominic Okon can go back to Nigeria and pick up a copy of his test scores in person, then hustle back to Wichita.

I'm not sure that Suellentrop has his facts straight on the NCAA rules. The NCAA transfer guide explicitly states that summer enrollment does not factor into the transfer rules. By my reading of the transfer guide, WSU is in no different position than any other school with respect to transfer opportunities for Orupke.

Are the rules that you are talking about applicable only to NCAA qualifiers, though? Since EO took summer classes while not being an NCAA qualifier, it might make the rules different. I'm not saying that this is true, but since it is not a normal circumstance, there may be more complex rules to be taken into consideration.

[Double U. Eschew]

Re: Eligibility

Are the rules that you are talking about applicable only to NCAA qualifiers, though? Since EO took summer classes while not being an NCAA qualifier, it might make the rules different. I'm not saying that this is true, but since it is not a normal circumstance, there may be more complex rules to be taken into consideration.

You're right, there may be more to it. The transfer guide also talks about practice with the team:

"So, how do you figure out if you're considered a transfer? First, we would ask several questions about the most common conditions involved in transferring from one school to another. We call these conditions transfer triggers. The triggers are important because they tell you if you'll need to know the transfer rules.

Ask yourself these questions:
- Have you ever been enrolled full time at a two- or four-year school in a regular academic term? (Summer does not count.)
- Have you ever reported for practice with the regular squad?
- Have you ever practiced or played while you were enrolled part time?"

http://www.ncaa.org/library/general/transfer_guide/2007-08/2007-08_transfer_guide.pdf

Perhaps formally particpating in summer workouts affects Okupke's status. Otherwise, I don't see how EO could be considered a 4-2 transfer. BTW, the transfer guide states that a 4-2-4 must graduate from junior college to be eligible to play at the four-year school. It doesn't mention an exception for transferring back to the original school.

[SB Shock]

I don't know why Tihart can't talk to the Nigeria Ambassador and remind him about all the economic aid that Nigeria gets from U.S. and ask him to talk the appropriate people in Nigeria and see if somebody could find his test scores.

[WuDrWu]

It's funny you should ask that.....my phone rang this evening for the TT phone town hall meeting and I planned to ask just that.......however seemingly I was too deep in line or the question was not deemed worthy (given the questions before me, it had to be the former).

[SubGod22]

Re: Eligibility

Are the rules that you are talking about applicable only to NCAA qualifiers, though? Since EO took summer classes while not being an NCAA qualifier, it might make the rules different. I'm not saying that this is true, but since it is not a normal circumstance, there may be more complex rules to be taken into consideration.

You're right, there may be more to it. The transfer guide also talks about practice with the team:

"So, how do you figure out if you're considered a transfer? First, we would ask several questions about the most common conditions involved in transferring from one school to another. We call these conditions transfer triggers. The triggers are important because they tell you if you'll need to know the transfer rules.

Ask yourself these questions:
- Have you ever been enrolled full time at a two- or four-year school in a regular academic term? (Summer does not count.)
- Have you ever reported for practice with the regular squad?
- Have you ever practiced or played while you were enrolled part time?"

http://www.ncaa.org/library/general/transfer_guide/2007-08/2007-08_transfer_guide.pdf

Perhaps formally particpating in summer workouts affects Okupke's status. Otherwise, I don't see how EO could be considered a 4-2 transfer. BTW, the transfer guide states that a 4-2-4 must graduate from junior college to be eligible to play at the four-year school. It doesn't mention an exception for transferring back to the original school.

The only thing that may be different there though is his test scores from Nigeria. He's not eligible because he doesn't currently have them. If they show up and it proves he is eligible for D1 then maybe the rules change a bit. I'm no expert by any means but I could see where that could happen with foreign kids in situations like these.

[BostonWu]

Tihart may be more effective lobbying the NCAA than Nigerian officials. He should march right into their offices and tell them they need to put on their thinking caps and realize a) the corruption surrounding the release of exam scores and b) this is an all-star student.

[wxkid23]

I doubt we ever see the kid now that his recruiting will open up. That's if he is as good as some have advertised.

[shockmonster]

Some of you guys were predicting that we would never see him in America and then someone else would get him to come to their school when he got here.

[shockall]

Some of you guys were predicting that we would never see him in America and then someone else would get him to come to their school when he got here.

Then everyone learned how schools like USC lure athletes to their schools.....something like a $750K home for mama to live in!

[shockmonster]

So far everyone going down this path has been wrong. I think that if Marshall still wants him, he comes

[benishock]

I cannot think of a single instance where a D1 school has "placed" a kid with a JUCO and then the kid actually goes to the D1 school. Can anyone?

[tropicalshox]

I think we can find a case right in the MVC this year. Isn't Illinois State and Bobby Hill an example?

[tropicalshox]

Another one off the top of my head certainly has different circumstances, but I think you could say Abdul Herrera was a K-State placement at Hutch last year and that is where he went. True he and the coach started at a different school, but the player/coaching relationship stood up.

[RoyalShock]

When Kelvin Sampson went to OU, he sent Nate Erdmann to Hutch and then joined Sampson at OU.

[WSU Cowboy]

The big 6-9 kid, Zarko something, that Texas Tec. put in Seward Co. that was a team mate of Reggie Chamberlin. He stayed with Bob Knight's Kid and honor his comitment. I believe EO is an honorable young man and appreciates all the trouble we went through to get him into this country.......I really belive we will see him in a Shocker Uniforn in the future.