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Gilchrist Could Open Door For College Transfers

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By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 6, 2008

TAMPA - With University of South Florida freshman forward Gus Gilchrist not having to sit out the mandatory one year after transferring from Maryland, Terps senior associate AD Kathy Worthington believes this could open the door for other players to shop around to get playing time.

"I thought the NCAA rule was in place to prevent a kid from shopping around from place to place to place," Worthington told the Baltimore Sun.

Worthington said she spoke to the NCAA Thursday. The explanation she was given for the NCAA's decision on allowing Gilchrist to become eligible Dec. 14 was that Gilchrist sat out a year's time between his stint at Maryland and the first semester at USF. Gilchrist will miss USF's first six games, but can play Dec. 14 against Niagara.

It marks the first time in 17 cases that the NCAA has waived its transfer penalty for a men's basketball player, dating back to around 2000, the Sun reported.

Worthington told the Sun an NCAA official told her "they are not holding Gus accountable for the ACC sit-out rule...I think they are taking a very liberal interpretation of that rule.''

The rule states that a player who either commits to or plays at one ACC school before going to another has to sit out an extra year on top of the NCAA sit-out rule regarding transfers. Gilchrist initially signed with Virginia Tech in high school, was released from his letter-of-intent and enrolled in Maryland in December 2007.

Gilchrist got his release from Maryland in June 2008 and two weeks later visited USF along with his parents and Terrelle Woody, his personal trainer, spokesman and adviser. Less than two days after visiting USF, Gilchrist signed with USF.

After Gilchrist left Maryland, Woody had talked with a number of schools, including West Virginia, the Sun reported, about getting a job before he - and Gilchrist - landed at South Florida. The 38-year old Woody, who had Gilchrist, 18, serve as the best man in his wedding, was hired as USF's video and conditioning assistant in August.

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928

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