NCAA Champion Jake Varner and Coach Cael SandersonEarlier we reported on various wrestling transfer and hiring rumors. We're now having second thoughts about our analysis of the Jake Varner to PSU rumors...
Cael is reportedly Varner's wrestling partner. Varner may leave ISU for State College, but we can state without fear of contradiction that he will never wrestle for Penn State. Varner redshirted as a freshman and has just one year of eligibility remaining. Iowa State is the only Division I school where he can finish his NCAA career.The situations are not completely analogous, but we wonder if the NCAA's recent statement on the Greg Paulus to Michigan story might be applicable to the Varner situation...
Mr. Paulus has expressed an interest in competing in a second sport at another Division I school after earning an undergraduate degree at Duke University and competing on the men’s basketball team. The NCAA encourages and applauds academic achievement and realizes this is an unique situation and opportunity for Mr. Paulus. Student-athletes seldom have the opportunity to transfer late in their college careers and compete in a second sport after four seasons of competition. The NCAA established a “students first” waiver process to address unique situations and extenuating circumstances such as this that are not outlined in our rules.The fact that Cael Sanderson is Varner's wrestling partner is certainly a "unique situations and extenuating circumstance." Varner could make a strong case than Sanderson is uniquely qualified to prepare him for his international wrestling career following the completion of his collegiate career.
If a student-athlete wants to transfer and immediately compete as a graduate student, the college or university they are transferring to would need to seek a waiver, because in most cases they would have to sit out a year before competing under NCAA transfer rules and would not have any remaining eligibility. One of the factors our members have determined is appropriate for a graduate student waiver is if the transfer is academically motivated.
Moreover, such a waiver would not be without precedent. All-American Scott Moore wrestled for four years at Penn State (including a medical redshirt year) before transferring to Virginia to complete his last season of eligibility as a graduate student the following year. He is now a UVa assistant coach.
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No chance he transfers... NCAA simply would not allow it.
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