Courtside with the Kentucky Wildcats
Freshman big man Morakinyo Williams asked for a release, UK Coach Billy Gillispie said on Saturday.
Williams also provided a list of schools that could receive his transcript and formal release, the UK coach said. Gillispie did not say what schools were on the list.
Williams played sparingly last season. The player hopes to find a program where he has a greater chance to play, Gillispie said.
UK Coach Billy Gillispie said Saturday that he expects Derrick Jasper to transfer.
A formal announcement should come this coming week, Gillispie said.
More than once last season, Gillispie spoke of Jasper’s value to the UK team as a ballhandler, decision-making and example of toughness.
When asked about losing Jasper, Gillispie spoke of the constant need to adapt and adjust.
“Our wheels are always in motion,” he said.
The University of Kentucky could feel good about when the NCAA on Tuesday released its latest findings on academic performance by athletic teams.
All 22 of UK’s teams surpassed the NCAA target score, and 13 teams exceeded the national average for public universities in their sports.
Therefore, UK will not be subject to any penalties. The latest findings, in the Academic Progress Rate, cover the school years of 2003-04 through 2006-07.
Here’s a portion of the UK news release:
The women’s swimming team led the way for
The 13 Wildcat teams that exceeded the national average among public universities in their sports included baseball (940), men’s basketball (941), women’s basketball (972), men’s cross country (970), football (943), rifle (966), women’s soccer (985), women’s swimming (986), men’s tennis (958), men’s indoor track (973), women’s indoor track (971), men’s outdoor track (976) and women’s outdoor track (976).
“We’re proud of our student-athletes and coaches, who are committed to academic success, and we’re happy to see their hard work pay off,” said Mitch Barnhart,
Two
With each team exceeding the NCAA target score, no Wildcat squads are subject to penalties, such as scholarship reductions or postseason restrictions.
The latest member of Kentucky’s Kiddie Corps of basketball recruits may move to Lexington. Vinny Zollo, a ninth grader from southeast Ohio who committed to UK on Monday evening, is considering switching high schools.
His mother, Robyn Curry, said Tuesday that among the schools under consideration are Lexington Catholic, Scott County and Dunbar in the Lexington area. Zollo is also thinking of about Culver (Ind.) Academy, Oak Hill Academy and Wayne High in Dayton.
Zollo, a 6-foot-9 forward, has several ties to Lexington and Kentucky. His god parents live in Lexington. One of his mother’s brothers graduated from UK Law School. His mother parents and her husband all graduated from Morehead State.
Zollo committed after visiting UK. His mother noted the positive impression made in a 30-minute meeting with UK president Lee Todd.
The visit was one of several made by Zollo. He had also visited West Virginia, Ohio State, Dayton, Xavier, Tennessee, Ohio U and Miami of Ohio.
Zollo had attended UK summer camps since the fourth grade.
Chris Johnson of the Hoop Scoop recruiting service rates Zollo the seventh best player in Ohio in the high school class of 2011.
Zollo became the second prospect of a tender age to commit to UK in recent days. Late last week, Michael Avery, an eighth grader in the Los Angeles area, committed to the Cats.
Jerry Tipton of the Lexington Herald- Leader has covered Kentucky basketball since the 1981-82 season. That time includes five coaches, five Final Fours, four athletic directors, two interim athletic directors and many memories. Before coming to Lexington, Tipton worked eight years for the Huntington (W.Va.) Herald-Dispatch. He covered Marshall’s basketball team for two seasons before coming to the Herald-Leader.