LAS CRUCES — After missing the first 21 games of the basketball season, New Mexico State redshirt sophomore forward Troy Gillenwater was cleared by the NCAA late Tuesday afternoon.
NMSU Athletics Director McKinley Boston said the decision was effective immediately.
On Jan. 5, the university filed a progress-toward-degree waiver with the NCAA after Gillenwater had missed the first semester due to poor grades.
NMSU is 13-8 and 6-2 in the Western Athletic Conference this season without Gillenwater, who averaged 12 points and five rebounds last season.
The Aggies have nine remaining regular season games before the WAC tournament in Reno March 10-13.
26 comments:
This is great news for the team. Let's hope he can come in and not disturb the chemistry we've built the last couple of weeks. Good luck TG, lets run the table over the next 7 games.
Let's hope Troy can make progress on that degree this semester so that he is not in the same boat again next fall. It's not easy being on the road and taking care of academics but it is even harder when you are already having academic problems.
Great news. Let's hope he comes in with a rebounding and defending mindset. If so, we're in for some awesome rematches with Babbitt and the rest of the WAC!
Can't say I'm thrilled with this turn of events. The team has been playing as a team without Troy. I hope his injection into the mix doesn't have a negative impact on the team.
Great news!
TG is going to have a major impact!
Jason you posted the story but what is your opinion regading this whole Gillenwater saga?
Gsus
Gsus, First of all I'm glad this situation is finally over. I'm hoping to speak with Troy later this week so there are certainly more stories to write, but I'm glad it's over and I'm sure the administration and coaches are glad it's over. I think NMSU had a responsibility to pursue whatever avenues they had to get Troy on the court. I don't know if it will ever be disclosed how Gillenwater was cleared by the NCAA to declare him eligible, which is frustrating as a reporter but it seems that most fans are just glad to have him back, and I am too. I've said before that Troy is one of my favorite guys on the team, and I'm looking forward to see how he has improved between seasons
Good news and I hope he & Wendell have learned their lessons!
Troy's got fresh legs so, I expect him play his tail off on both sides of the court.
I also expect this team to make the NCAA tournament! Let's dance!
Jefe
It's too bad that Gillenwater and McKines both didn't take care of their grades over the Summer and this past Fall. Had they done so the WAC is likely a two bid conference this year.
I think its great news. The NCAA obviously does not see a problem as if there were something fishy they would not have done it. Like other posters I just hope it helps the team chemistry not hurt it.
I would sure like a shot at the UNM coyotes again...
Come on guys, if you can't be totally happy with this ruling without whining about the past and blaming, you need to just learn to deal with it. Don't be like YOUR President BHO.
Go Aggies!!!
The Gillenwater is as famous as Madonna.
One name, one man. ONE WIN!
What Troy provides is another inside scoring threat which will help the Aggies. He will not start but I believe he will be on the court in the last five minutes of the game. If he rebounds and defends, the Aggies will be the toughest out in the WAC tourney. The lack of solid Bench play has been a big issue around the whole league this year. TG is a huge pick up for that reason.
This is good. We have played everybody in the WAC and the only team we didn't match up with well was Nevada. It wasn't the Nevada team we didn't match up with, it was Babbit. With TG, we have more depth in the middle and someone that matches up better with Babbit and if TG plays some good defense, maybe it will slow Nevada down a little whwn we play them in Reno.
We are starting to get some attention at the national level. Some early bracketology is actually listing NMSU as an entry
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology
JJ--Bracketology defauts to whomever is in 1st place for 1-bid conferences.
good call JJ
If computers were worth a @#*& the Aggie RPI would jump 30 notches on this news (no pressure, Troy). Menzies could get his bonus for winning the Big Dance this year.
yeah, Dogg!
This is what you call a WAC Tourney Bracket Buster! Face-it, Stew, you got no answer for TG. Now Wendell's got some help on Babbitt.
To be the best you should want to play best. Every WAC team should feel good about playing NMSU at full-strength.
It is great news and I wish them all well. We are now "THE" favorite to win the WAC, no question. So what happens if and when it doesn't happen? We'll keep the faith and hope for the best.
It is still amazing that the NCAA chose to open this door for many others to walk through. OMG! Menzies is awesome!!!!!!!!!
FYI Groves i was in San DIego this past weekend and saw Gabriel for the first time since he left...I TAKE BACK EVERY DOUBT THAT I HAD ABOUT GABRIEL HE HAS BECOME FIT AND WORKED ON HIS BODY AND IS RIPPED!, BILL WALTON HAS EVEN SAID THAT HE HAS DEFINITE NBA POTENCIAL...HE WILL REALLY BE MISSED IN LAS CRUCES AND NEXT YEAR WE WILL ALL SEE WHY!
I take Rahman over Gabriel. Gabriel left because he was homesick. What player has NBA potential that gets homesick in his first year of major college ball? He's weak. I wish him the best though. But I'm glad with Rahman.
Gabriel's physique never was a concern of mine. It was his moves in the post that had me worry. He could set a helluva a screen though.
I think Gabriel was more looking at the fact that only one guy could be the center of choice, and since Rahman had the redshirt year of experience Chris was at a disadvantage. Chris started off slow, but was coming around toward the end of last season. Too bad he had to leave, but he was doing what he needed to in order to get the playing time.
I think that Gabriel moved like Frankenstein. His feet were pretty much glued to the ground. He missed his mommy and I am ok with him leaving. I wish we could get some support and sell out just like the Haskins Center is for tonights game. UTEP and NMSU are both rolling.
IJO; compared to Hamidu, Gabriel made more progress working with Trei last season. CG at least used his body to block out like nobody really does on the team to this day. That's why Jimmy still can't get over how improved Rahman is this year. Hope they go to him early and often. Then especially looking forward to the ovation as Troy heads to scorer's table when Rahman is bushed. After Menzies suspended Troy for a game-and-a-half last year, the great fans at Pan Am went nuts as TG checked in.
Hey, I'll be the guy wearing crimson T-shirt tonite...
I have to say I am bothered by the subtle and not so subtle attacks on Gabriel for choosing to leave the program. "he misses his mommy" Seriously? No one made that remark when Wendell chose to leave the program when he was homesick. Wendell was "missing his mommy" too but somehow that wasn't an issue with him so why is it with Gabriel. Like it or not, he left for whatever reasons. But he was an Aggie once and there is no need to use that tone and language when talking about him.
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