West Virginia guard Kerr Kriisa will leave out nine games all over the 2023-24 season as a result of of impermissible benefits he won whilst taking part in at Arizona, WVU introduced Wednesday. Kriisa is anticipated to play a key position for the Mountaineers after score because the No. 7 switch of the offseason following 3 seasons with the Wildcats.
West Virginia first realized of a “potential eligibility concern” for Kriisa in past due August, in step with the college’s announcement, which published that Kriisa admitted to receiving the impermissible benefits at Arizona. The 6-foot-3 guard will proceed to observe and trip with the Mountaineers amid the suspension.
“He accepts responsibility for his actions at Arizona and looks forward to joining his Mountaineer teammates on the floor,” West Virginia’s announcement mentioned.Â
The news marks the newest blow to a 2023-24 season that when regarded promising for the Mountaineers sooner than the offseason unraveling of mythical trainer Bob Huggins, which ended in a training trade. Interim trainer Josh Eilert has stepped in after 16 years on workforce as he faces an uphill fight in guiding the Mountaineers again to the NCAA Tournament after remaining yr’s group earned a No. 9 seed and completed 19-15 with a first-round loss to Maryland.
Among the games Kriisa is slated to leave out are games towards St. John’s (Dec. 1) and Pitt (Dec. 6), in addition to a recreation towards both Virginia or Wisconsin on Nov. 22 as phase of the Fort Myers Tip-Off.
West Virginia lately parted with Manhattan switch Jose Perez, who will have helped plug the distance within the again court docket all over Kriisa’s absence, and the Mountaineers are nonetheless preventing to get two-time switch RaeQuan Battle eligible for the 2023-24 season. The Mountaineers additionally misplaced level guard Joe Toussaint to Texas Tech and gear ahead Tre Mitchell to Kentucky amid the training trade from Huggins to Eilert.Â
Amid all of the roster attrition, WVU will have a lean rotation when it opens the season towards Missouri State on Monday. The Mountaineers tackle Monmouth on Nov. 10 and Jacksonville State on Nov. 14 sooner than starting play within the Fort Myers Tip-Off towards SMU.