Wisconsin
The University of Wisconsin breaks its silence on stalemate with cornerback Xavier Lucas
An aerial view of Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis.
An aerial view of Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., home of the Wisconsin Badgers.
MADISON – Up until Saturday the discourse in the ongoing battle between Xavier Lucas and the University of Wisconsin has been one-sided with Lucas and his attorney offering their side of the story.
That changed Saturday.
Wisconsin issued a statement on the situation involving the freshman’s departure from the school, and it offered some interesting details.
* On Dec. 2, Wisconsin and Lucas entered into a two-year NIL agreement that included “substantial” financial compensation for Lucas that UW believes remains in effect and enforceable. The statement also said there was a separate agreement with the Varsity Collective, which connects Badger athletes with NIL opportunities.
* Wisconsin said it has credible information indicating impermissible contact between Lucas and University of Miami football personnel prior to his request to enter the transfer portal. Lucas announced his intention to transfer on X on Dec. 19.
“Direct interference with another institution’s committed player and contractual interests is prohibited by NCAA tampering rules and the law,” UW wrote in the statement.
Lucas, a 6-foot-2, 198-pound cornerback from Pompano Beach, Florida, and his attorney argue that Wisconsin wrongfully declined to enter his name into the transfer portal last month. Wisconsin said it did not process Lucas’ transfer portal request because it had a signed agreement that commits Lucas to the Badgers football program.
In a story published Friday, Lucas’ attorney, Darren Heitner, told Yahoo Sports that Lucas had unenrolled at Wisconsin and enrolled in Miami. That move could circumvent the transfer portal.
“Badger student-athletes who have signed these agreements expect Wisconsin Athletics to honor the terms. In turn, Wisconsin Athletics relies on the student-athlete representations in signing these agreements that they will do the same,” Wisconsin’s statement said.
Wisconsin said it will continue to review the matter and evaluate all options to determine the appropriate course of action.
“This is another significant moment in the evolution of college athletics,” UW’s statement said. “As we move toward a future state that will rely on direct contracting with student athletes, enforcing the parties’ adherence to contract obligations and addressing improper interference by other institutions must be a priority. The system cannot work without an operational model that both establishes and enforces agreed upon rules and regulations, and contractual terms that are binding on both institutions and student athletes.”
The Big Ten Conference stands with Wisconsin
The Big Ten Conference issued a statement later Saturday that supported Wisconsin’s position on the matter.
“As student-athletes become active participants in revenue sharing, it is critical that agreed-to-obligations be respected, honored and enforced,” the statement said.
The Big Ten also said the information suggesting tampering in this case by the University of Miami was ‘very troubling” and said “the situation is the latest example of the critical need for substantive governance reform.”
“These actions undermine the efforts of its own conference as the ACC continues its collaboration with the other A4 conferences in developing a sustainable framework for college sports.”