Vashil Fernandez

[usc4valpo]

For Davidson, it is possible but doubtful. How big are Valpo's graduate school programs?

[vu72]

For Davidson, it is possible but doubtful. How big are Valpo's graduate school programs?

Pretty big and growing.  As an example, in Nick's chosen field of nursing, you now can gain both a Masters and a Phd from Valpo.  Here is the graduate school site:

http://www.valpo.edu/grad/Program/programs/index.php

[VU75]

At some point they have to decide if having Vashil back for one more year is worth more to the program than having Nick for two.

Actually it's about the message it sends to the Nick Davidson level recruit  who is choosing between Valpo and a Summit or  OVC school.  The kind of kid who steps up when there is injury or may have a senior year that makes the difference between a 18 win season or a 14 win season.  The kid of kid who may be concerned that his scholarship may be pulled because some other kid at a Southeastern Conference program decides to transfer.

[classof2014]

No offense to a player the quality of Nick but why not recruit stronger players. No matter what Vashil's potential 4th season would be much greater than Nick's potential to be a sub his senior year. Vashil can do something historic this upcoming season and would definitely help the transitioning for our next group of bigs in Smits and Relvao. The best we're looking at for a quality player like Nick is being a regular sub his senior season while Vashil could easily break many records at Valpo and help put Valpo over the edge to become a national championship contender.

[agibson]

I seem to recall that athletic scholarships are granted one year at a time. So next year Davidson doesn't get one or any other financial aide.  The following year he gets one. We know a player can not get a scholarship and still walk on.  Stainbock did it at Xavier last year. So why couldn't Davidson walk on and redshirt?  And what would prevent Valpo from giving him an athletic scholarship for one year following a walk on year?  Xavier did it for Stainbock's brother.

I don't know the Xavier situation, and I'm basically making stuff up.  But, yes, they're only given for a year at a time.

I could imagine, maybe perversely, that:

-)you can only walk-on if you weren't too far into the official scholarship recruitment process (no official visit?)
-)once you've had a scholarship, you're no longer allowed to walk-on; if they take away your scholarship, you're ineligible to play unless they give it back

Again, I'm mostly making this up. For a situation like D1 basketball where full scholarships the norm, it _does_ seem like you might reasonably want to prevent the athlete from getting yanked around.  But, I do wonder how it might apply to other sports where partial scholarships are more common.  It seems like you _might_ want the ability to adjust those year to year to respond to changing situations, evolving skills, etc.  Sort of a carrot to work hard, like a salary increase or bonus in the private sector  But, maybe that kind of "yanking around" is prohibited for partial scholarship sports too.  *shrug*

If anyone actually knows, I am a bit curious how all this works. Probably there's an NCAA guidebook?

[Vinny]

Davidson was a multi-sport athlete growing up so why not have swimming offer him a scholarship and he can maintain walk-on status with basketball? He'd probably be one of VU's best swimmers. Win-win situation.

[ValpoFan]

Unfortunately, this will not work either. I remember a story a few years back at my alma mater, the University of Akron. The football team was struggling with their kicker while one of the scholarship players on the soccer team had an accurate cannon of a leg. JD Brookhart (the football coach at that time) invited the soccer player to practice with the team and he actually kicked a few field goals during games that year.


The NCAA forced Akron to count that player towards the football scholarships (not soccer) even though he was a third year letter winner and soccer scholarship holder. I think the rule says that multisport athletes will count towards the more popular sport they play. [size=78%] [/size]

[Commissioner]

I'm reading all this with interest because I think you guys can be really good this year, and the Horizon needs a) a ranked team (haven't had one since Butler left the league); b) a second NCAA bid (none since 2009); and c) an NCAA tournament win (none since 2011).

The NCAA requires schools to make grant in aid renewals (or better put, denials for returning players) by July 1. It is permissible to add a student after that date. So if (e.g.) Davidson was notified he's got a scholarship, he's got a scholarship this year, and it counts against the limit. But maybe they told him, per the above, that his scholarship was not renewed; they could still give him one if it turns out that Vashil doesn't come back. NCAA Rule 15.3.5.1. Also, if a player gets aid based solely on his academic performance at the school (that is, what he's done at Valpo, not high school tests or anything) he doesn't have to be counted. In addition to the school award, he must have at least a 3.0 at the institution. 15.5.1.1.1. How good a student is Davidson?

If a player was awarded a scholarship for the coming season but voluntarily leaves the team before the first day of fall classes, he doesn't count against the scholarship limit. 15.5.1.4.

If you were recruited for football, you count for football. If you were recruited for basketball, you count for basketball, unless you count for football. So Valpo can't stash Davidson on the swim team. 15.5.9.2.

I suppose the NCAA can waive any rule it wants if it wants, but the manual doesn't have any specific provision for an institution to get a waiver on the number of scholarships.

[Pgmado]

All of this speculation about Davidson is pointless. He's a scholarship member of the team. He's not going anywhere.

[vu72]

All of this speculation about Davidson is pointless. He's a scholarship member of the team. He's not going anywhere.

We all know that!  It's just us using our imagination and creativity during the long off season!!  When will you give us the actual answer???

[Pgmado]

All of this speculation about Davidson is pointless. He's a scholarship member of the team. He's not going anywhere.

We all know that!  It's just us using our imagination and creativity during the long off season!!  When will you give us the actual answer???

About three minutes after I find out the actual answer. You'd think after two seasons of True Detective I'd be able to figure this out.

[agibson]

You suppose we'll get something vaguely official, like a roster for the Canada trip?  Or are we going to be scouring photos and the like?

Should we post someone at the ARC around departure time?

I suppose open gym is happening, do we know if Vashil's even playing?  If he's playing, that doesn't prove anything.  But, if he's _not_ playing that'd be highly suggestive...

(Nice to hear, a couple of weeks back, that Rowdy had been playing with Robbie Hummel in Chicago; not sure if he made it back to campus.)

[bbtds]

I suppose open gym is happening, do we know if Vashil's even playing?  If he's playing, that doesn't prove anything.  But, if he's _not_ playing that'd be highly suggestive...

I've been told (and I think wh reported here) that Vashil is playing in the open gym sessions. That is a known. As you stated, it doesn't prove he is back. I remember seeing Corey Johnson playing in open gym before heading to Europe to play professionally after his final Valpo season.

[wh]

Today is the beginning of boys basketball camp at the ARC.  Registered our grandson and hung around til it started. 

--- Didn't see Vashil.
--- Saw Scara and AP standing side by side.  Could have been the angle, but David looked every bit as tall as Alec, maybe even a half inch taller.  I'll not be surprised to see David listed at 6-9 this year.
--- Speaking of size, no one has stretched the tape measure on Derrik Smits.  He towers over everyone.  Every bit of 7 foot. 

 

[valpopal]

Today is the beginning of boys basketball camp at the ARC.  Registered our grandson and hung around til it started. 

--- Didn't see Vashil.

Vashil sighting: I saw Vashil there playing and coaching during the camp activities.

[agibson]

Vashil sighting: I saw Vashil there playing and coaching during the camp activities.

I saw him on twitter, I guess today if it's the start of camp, getting dunked on/over by EVic.

[valpo64]

Didn't someone recently post a comment that we should know the "official roster" on the 29th?  Then we would know if Vashil is playing or not?  Has anyone heard anything or a hint of anything?

[vu72]

Didn't someone recently post a comment that we should know the "official roster" on the 29th?  Then we would know if Vashil is playing or not?  Has anyone heard anything or a hint of anything?

I've not seen anything.  They leave on the 8th and have ten days of practice which they certainly will use.  That means this week and next week.  Even if he is practicing it doesn't mean he is on the team.  I don't think there is  prohibition for non-team members to practice with the team.  I guess we may not know unless he gets on the plane and then maybe he goes as a non-paid adviser so then we wouldn't know until the 9th when the first game is played.   

[agibson]

[tweet]626380709603577856[/tweet]

[agibson]

ten days of practice which they certainly will use.  That means this week and next week.

Apparently starting last Sunday

[tweet]625814174241828864[/tweet]

[Valpofan00]

Will we be able to watch the Canadian games online?

[bbtds]

Will we be able to watch the Canadian games online?

Nothing on the McGill University website for coverage yet.

http://www.mcgillathletics.ca/schedule.aspx?path=mbball


Nothing on the Carleton University website for video.

https://goravens.ca/teams/mens-basketball/schedule/


Apparently University of Ottawa was taken off the schedule. It no longer shows on Valpo's schedule or UOttawa Gee Gee's schedule.

https://www.geegees.ca/en/sports/teams/basketballm/schedule


So far there is no indication that the games will be shown online but I wouldn't give up looking right up till the games.


Interesting that uOttawa is relaunching men's hockey as a sport in September 2016. I could see that in the United States but it seems strange in Canada. Unless it has to do with all the junior pro leagues in hockey in Canada.

https://www.geegees.ca/en/sports/teams/mhockey/news/relaunch-of-gee-gees-varsity-men%E2%80%99s-hockey-program-new-head-coach-hired

[agibson]

The Ottawa game's still listed at
http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/schedule/#.Vbpeabft3RA

Paul Oren tweets that there's VU press availability Friday night, he's expecting answers then.

[Valpofan00]

Vashil is officially back!

[agibson]

[tweet]626807478647431168[/tweet]