MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — RaeQuan Battle has spoken out against the NCAA’s decision to deny him immediate eligibility at West Virginia.
In a lengthy statement released through Attorney James A. “Rocky” Gianola, Battle said in conclusion, “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.”
The NCAA denied Battle’s waiver for immediate eligibility October 23, which the 6-foot-5 fifth-year wing needed as a two-time undergraduate transfer.
Battle began his college career at Washington and was with the Huskies for two seasons before moving on to Montana State for another two seasons. After last season, then-Montana State head coach Danny Sprinkle left for the same title at Utah State, which Battle cited in the statement.
“My head coach at MSU was my main stay of support and guidance for me as a student there. When he accepted a new role at another university, it took an immediate toll on me, and it became obvious to me that I would struggle greatly staying in the same place without him.”
A native of Tulalip, Wash., Battle is a Native American and said he hoped to carry that outlet with the Mountaineers.
Interim WVU head coach Josh Eilert has noted the need for Battle to be immediately eligible for his well-being and mental health, which Battle also mentions.
“It feels as though my mental health issues and my extenuating circumstances are not valid in the eyes of the NCAA and that is very painful to me,” he said.
Battle started at Montana State last season, when he led the Bobcats to 25 wins, a Big Sky Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. He averaged a team-best 17.7 points, shot almost 47 percent from the field and made 35.3 percent of 150 three-point attempts.
In Montana State’s NCAA Tournament opening-round loss to Kansas State, Battle led all players with 27 points.
Battle’s appeal was denied Tuesday, which drew a joint statement from Eilert and WVU Director of Athletics Wren Baker.
“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,” the statement read. “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.”