3:06pm: Hotline with Dave Weekley

Holton can’t play this season after NCAA denies waiver

West Virginia forward Jonathan Holton, who had 11 points and 15 rebounds during the Gold-and-Blue preseason scrimmage, won’t be be allowed to play this season by NCAA.

 

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Junior college transfer Jonathan Holton, his eligibility in limbo since enrolling at West Virginia in late August, won’t be allowed to play this season, according to coach Bob Huggins.

The NCAA denied Holton’s waiver request to play this season, Huggins announced Thursday night, meaning the forward can only continue to practice with the team this season. Presuming the 6-foot-7 forward continues to keep pace with his coursework, he will still have two years of eligibility remaining beginning with the 2014-15 season.

“I know Jonathan is disappointed by not being able to compete this season,” Huggins said in a statement released by the university. “But he has had a terrific attitude in practice and will use this redshirt season to work on his game and become a better basketball player. We look forward to Jonathan having two full seasons of eligibility remaining.”

Holton, who was expelled from Rhode Island after a stellar freshman season, transferred to Palm Beach (Fla.) State Community College as a sophomore but had not earned his two-year degree at the time he enrolled at WVU.

Huggins has been reluctant to discuss any details of Holton’s case, citing academic privacy issues, so the announcement resigns WVU to using its nine scholarship players the rest of the way. The Mountaineers (10-5, 2-0 Big 12) had been holding out hope of adding Holton’s rebounding and interior defense to the current rotation as the meat of the conference schedule approaches.

After Holton posted 10.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game as a freshman at Rhode Island—earning Atlantic 10 All-Rookie honors—he was arrested on charges of video voyeurism when two female students said he secretly recorded their sexual encounters and posted the videos to Facebook. Holton was dismissed from the school in March 2012 and eventually pleaded no contest to one count of the felony charge in May 2013. He was sentenced to two years probation and ordered to undergo mental health counseling.

Holton has been prohibited from having contact with the victim. Any violation of his probation could subject Holton to the maximum felony punishment of up to three years jail time.





More WVU Sports

Sports
Greene strives for improved accuracy through extra emphasis on fundamentals, mechanics
West Virginia quarterback Garett Greene felt he could've gotten more out of the 2023 season, and his completion percentage is a major reason why.
March 27, 2024 - 7:58 pm
Sports
Photo gallery: Mountaineers conduct second practice of spring football
West Virginia was outside Wednesday morning for its second practice during the first week of spring football.
March 27, 2024 - 2:54 pm
Sports
DeVries starts with $2.8 million salary over five-year deal
Compensation for new WVU men's basketball coach increases $100,000 on annual basis.
March 27, 2024 - 1:41 pm
Sports
Jamison steals home, sparks Mountaineers in 6-2 win against Akron
West Virginia claims third straight win, improves to 15-10.
March 27, 2024 - 12:31 am


Your Comments