College Sports

Sophomore Oklahoma State pitcher Andrew Oliver was declared ineligible hours before the fifth-ranked Cowboys game with 14th-ranked Wichita State in the NCAA tournament.

Oliver, the ace of the staff, has a record of 7-2 and an era of 2.20 in 15 appearances this season. He was named first team All Big 12, as well.

In a statement, the University declared that Oliver is ineligible “for an indefinite period.” The statement goes on to say that Oklahoma State “cannot” comment further. Privacy laws most likely prohibit the university from saying anything else at this time.

According to various sources, the problems for Oliver are not academic, but rather could be related to contact with an agent, or receiving improper benefits. Oliver is still one year away from being eligible to enter the MLB draft.

According to NCAA rules, once a baseball player begins his collegiate career, he is ineligible for the draft until following his junior year. Oliver was drafted out of high school by Minnesota in the 17th round, but opted for college instead.

But here are the facts, the things we know for sure. Oliver has let down his teammates. No matter what the reason is for his being declared ineligible, he has let them down during the most crucial point of the season. OSU lost to Wichita State, 5-3, in front of a sellout crowd in Stillwater after the announcement, ending the Cowboys three game win streak. And when they faced Wichita State again two days later, the game went into extra innings and the Cowboys were forced to have position players pitching, as the ranks were depleted.

Any student-athlete that puts his/her greed (and that is what it boils down to, greed) ahead of the team, ahead of teammates, well, that person isn’t much of a teammate.

If Andrew Oliver is guilty of “extra benefits,” I hope it was worth it for him… because his teammates are paying a high price.

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