NCAA seeks more information on Dixon waiver
The NCAA has sought more information from the University of Memphis as part of its review of the school’s request that senior transfer Michael Dixon be eligible to play this season.
It was the second time the NCAA has requested more information since the school’s July 24 request that normal transfer restrictions be waived. Dixon, a former Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year who transferred to Memphis in June, is seeking to play immediately after missing all of the 2012-13 season as a senior at Missouri.
The 6-1, 190-pound combo guard and Kansas City, Mo., native was suspended for Missouri’s first six games last season before he and the school elected to part ways last November after a pair of sexual assault accusations against him became public.
No charges were filed in either case, which is why Memphis and Dixon are optimistic that he’ll be granted the waiver.
Recently hired U of M assistant athletic director for compliance Jason Gray said it’s normal for the NCAA to ask for more information after it has received a waiver request.
“That’s definitely not uncommon,” Gray said. “They come back now and then and ask for new documents. I’ve submitted waivers like this for 16 years and it’s always kind of a deal where you send them everything you think they need. Then they read it and come back and they have more questions, so they ask for more things.
“That’s just kind of the process we’re in right now. They’re reviewing what we’ve sent them.”
Gray said an NCAA case worker gathers all of the documents and information before presenting it to an NCAA staff that will make a ruling. If the staff denies the request, Memphis would then appeal the decision to an NCAA subcommittee.
That’s what Maryland did last
year in the case of junior guard Dez Wells, who transferred to Maryland after he was expelled from Xavier for violating the school’s code of conduct. Like Dixon, Wells was accused of sexual assault but not charged.
Though Wells’ waiver request was originally denied by the NCAA, the decision was overturned on appeal by the NCAA Division 1 Legislative Council Subcommittee for Legislative Relief, clearing him to play immediately at Maryland rather than sit out a year as is normally required of Division 1 transfers.
Dixon , however, doesn’t have another year to sit out, having played t hree seasons at Missouri before sitting out last season. The NCAA allows Division 1 student-athletes five years to complete four seasons of eligibility.
“I’m optimistic as well,” said Gray, who estimates he’s handled an average of three waiver requests per year over 16 years in compliance at Southern Miss, Rice and Baylor. “The (Wells) case, we’ve got that as precedent, so I feel very optimistic about it. What you do is you put together the best case you possibly can and hope for the best.”