West Virginia’s RaeQuan Battle responded to the NCAA after the denied his waiver appeal earlier this week.
Battle, a two-time transfer, tried to become immediately eligible to play this season, after transferring from Montana State. Battle’s original waiver was denied, and then WVU’s appeal on the waiver was also denied.
WVU claimed Battle’s transfer decision was due to his mental health and well-being, a category the NCAA has said they will allow players to transfer twice for if that is the cause.
Attorney James A. “Rocky” Gianola and RaeQuan Battle released a statement, going after the NCAA’s decision.
“As you may not know, my decision to attend WVU was not like most transfers; my transfer came when I lost my Coach at Montana State. This situation that I, nor any student athlete has any control over, severely affected me and my mental health; struggles that impact my everyday life. I will not detail the trauma that I have faced throughout my childhood and college life, but those who do know my story understand how badly I need the game of basketball as part of a comprehensive process to improve my well-being and mental health,” the statement read.
Battle is a Native American, the only player to be a Native American and compete in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
“The state of West Virginia has become a second home to me, and my teammates have become a second family. My hope is that the NCAA will understand what it is doing is wrong, that it will realize that it is going against everything it is supposed to stand for when it made this decision, and it will look at the facts and reverse itself. But more than that, even if I never play another game of basketball, I will not go quietly. At a minimum I will be one more Native American voice shouting into the ears of an institution that is all too oblivious of its failings and prejudices,” Battle said in a statement.
WVU’s Statement Read: “On behalf of West Virginia University Intercollegiate Athletics, we believe the NCAA has made a grave mistake and misjudgment with regard to first denying RaeQuan Battle’s request for a waiver and now in his eventual appeal. Both denials have produced nothing but hardship and penalty.
The intent of the transfer waiver process is to provide relief for extenuating and extraordinary circumstances that are outside the control of the student-athlete. There is no question that RaeQuan’s case clearly calls for a waiver so that he can continue his academic and athletic career on a positive tract. Despite overwhelming evidence that RaeQuan clearly meets the established criteria for relief, the NCAA’s decision to deny does nothing but penalize a student-athlete for negative situations and environments that others have caused him. As our peer institutions have noted recently during this waiver process in their respective cases, we join them in being confused and saddened by the arbitrary process. Dating back to at least 2013, RaeQuan has endured a vast amount of trauma in and around his life. It was published earlier this year that RaeQuan was the only Native American to play in the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
He is believed to be the first from the Tulalip Tribe to receive a Division I basketball scholarship. Disappointed, disheartened and certainly frustrated are the emotions our entire basketball program is dealing with right now due to this short-sighted decision. It has already been requested by the Division I Board of Directors to review the existing transfer rules and waiver guidelines. Furthermore, the chair of the board was specifically quoted stating the NCAA would ‘continue to view student-athlete well-being and mental health as a priority for the Association.’
RaeQuan clearly meets the criteria, but once again the NCAA has failed to do the right thing for the well-being and mental health of the student-athlete. The right thing would improve the life of a young student-athlete and correct his path to academic and athletic success. RaeQuan Battle should be playing basketball for West Virginia University while he continues to pursue a bachelor’s degree at WVU, and we will continue to have his best interests in mind and fully support RaeQuan.”
On Friday, Eilert added on Battle saying, “it’s a huge drag on him. I feel like he’s starting to lose that hope. I worry like hell for RaeQuan and his mindset. It’s sad.”
