NCAA denies Colby Rogers appeal to play this season
Colby Rogers participates in an interview at Media Day on Oct. 18.
After waiting for a chance to step out onto the court in a Shocker basketball uniform, Siena transfer Colby Rogers will not get a chance to play this season.
The NCAA Divison I Relief denied Wichita State’s appeal on Dec. 2 for a run off waiver to let Rogers play immediately this season.
In November, Siena issued a statement to The Sunflower about the process.
“Should the NCAA determine that Colby could play right away, that would be wonderful for him and Siena would not take issue with that outcome, but that part of the process is Colby, Wichita State, and the NCAA’s responsibility, and not Siena’s,” Siena said.
Rogers used his one time free use of the NCAA transfer portal to transfer from Cal Poly to Siena last season.
Siena’s athletic director John D’Argenio said they opted to not sign a waiver for Rogers to play immediately because he said he believed it would ruin Siena’s integrity.
An athletic department can sign a waiver for a player to transfer a second time, including factors related to mental health, poor treatment of a player and “running a player off from the program.”
D’Argenio said Siena did none of these things.
“[Wichita State] wanted us to basically say we were not giving [Rogers] an opportunity to participate on our team,” D’Argenio said to the Times Union. “We wanted him back. We explained to him what it means when you go into the transfer portal.”
In the college basketball world, several sports analysts say that it is uncommon to not sign a waiver for a player despite entering the portal for a second time.
National college basketball writer for CBS Sports Jon Rothstein commented about the waiver process in a tweet.
“The NCAA continues to hand out waivers like they’re seedless watermelons at a 4th of July party,” Rothstein said.
Senior point guard Craig Porter Jr. stated his frustration for his teammate at a post-game press conference this season.
“I feel like as an institution [Siena] shouldn’t hold a player back like that,” Porter said. “He’s just doing what’s best for him and his future. I feel like they shouldn’t be able to make that decision for him.”
Last season at Siena, Rogers scored a total of 395 points and averaged 14.1 points a game and recorded 37 assist.
Emmie Boese is starting her fourth year on The Sunflower's staff. Boese previously served as sports editor and opinion editor. Boese is majoring...
Mel Hyman • Mar 11, 2023 at 11:50 am
Siena’s denial of a waiver is completely justified. To issue the waiver without any extenuating circumstances would make a mockery of the system. I give Siena credit for taking a stand that maintains the integrity of the college game.