By Andy Hamilton
Iowa City Press-Citizen
Four parents of the five Virginia Tech wrestlers denied transfer releases said the school has recanted a recruiting promise and their families may pursue legal action in an attempt to gain immediate eligibility at Iowa next season.
Blue-chip recruit Brent Metcalf, Georgia native T.H. Leet and former Iowa high school standouts Jay Borschel, Dan LeClere and Joey Slaton still intend to follow coach Tom Brands to Iowa after being turned down by Virginia Tech in their initial requests to leave the school penalty-free.
The fathers of Borschel, LeClere and Slaton, and Metcalf’s mother said Wednesday that their sons — the main components in the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class last year — selected Virginia Tech after being assured by school athletic administrators that they would have an unconditional release if they wanted to leave the Hokies.
But after Brands departed for Iowa last month, the school announced it would not grant transfer releases until after next season, and a Virginia Tech faculty committee upheld the ruling during an appeal hearing last week.
“They have the option to deny it, “Doug LeClere said. “In the meeting we had, they said, ‘We’ve never denied our release, but this is an extraordinary circumstance and what would we do if our football team did this?’
“We tried to tell them that it’ll never happen again because they wouldn’t have had these guys if they hadn’t promised them a release.”
Phone and e-mail messages left for Virginia Tech athletic director Jim Weaver and associate athletic director Jon Jaudon were not returned Wednesday.
“We feel like we’ve been deceived by the athletic department, not Tom Brands, but Jim Weaver is where our biggest complaint is — with the three Iowa boys at least, “said Slaton’s father, Matt Shaver.
Shaver and Jim Borschel said Weaver invited both fathers, Borschel’s wife, Carol, Jay Borschel, Slaton and Dan LeClere into his office during a recruiting visit in the fall of 2004. During the meeting in Weaver’s office, Shaver and Jim Borschel said they asked the athletic director questions about academics, facilities and the possibility of transferring if the wrestlers became homesick or under the condition Brands left for another school.
“Jim Weaver made it perfectly clear to us that day (by saying), ‘We have never denied a release and we would let your sons go for any reason whatsoever and we do not want an athlete at Virginia Tech who does not want to be here,’ “Shaver said.
“He looked all six of us in the eye and told us the same thing. What really ticks me off right now is we could never get a response from Jim Weaver over this whole ordeal. He would not return messages, e-mails, nothing.”
Shaver, Jim Borschel and Doug LeClere said Weaver claimed during the appeal hearing that he had never told an athlete he could be released. Shaver said Slaton then asked Weaver for his recollection of the meeting during the recruiting visit in the athletic director’s office and Weaver denied the meeting ever took place.
Doug LeClere said the wrestlers have asked the school to reconsider its decision and have given Virginia Tech five days to respond before the families take legal action.
“(The appeal hearing is) their court, “Jim Borschel said. “Well, let’s take these guys to a real court and let’s have a real deposition in front of an attorney and let’s have Mr. Weaver and Mr. Jaudon be cross-examined under oath in front of somebody that can certainly play the game as well, or better, than them and make them squirm a little bit and make them feel foolish. If they want to play games with 18-year-olds, well, they’re going to have to play games in front of an attorney.”
Unless the ruling is overturned, the wrestlers would have to sit out next season before being eligible to compete for the Hawkeyes in 2007-08. But that’s a price they seem willing to pay in order to be coached by Brands.
“Their commitment isn’t a hazy commitment, “Lynn Metcalf said. “I find it amazing that they would give up their scholarships and everything for a year just to go where they think they can be the best in the end.”
Shaver said he thinks Virginia Tech is “using these kids to get back at “Brands for leaving the school after two seasons.
“They’re trying to make a statement, “Lynn Metcalf said. “Well, make it with the next group, not a group you promised. Make your statement at a different time, accept your losses, admit your mistakes and let these kids go.”
Shaver, Jim Borschel and Doug LeClere said appeal hearings for their sons turned into interrogation sessions about Brands and whether the Iowa coach had made any improper contact with his former wrestlers since his introduction as the Hawkeye coach on April 5.
“They were digging for dirt, there’s no doubt, “Doug LeClere said. “They’re not going to find any, because there’s nothing to find.”
All three fathers said neither they nor their sons have not spoken to Brands since he was named the Iowa coach and said they believe Virginia Tech officials are being vindictive.
“I swear to God that if the kids wanted to go to Minnesota they’d have no problem with it, “Doug LeClere said. “But the thing is, it’s Tom Brands.”
Brands stunned many wrestling followers in the fall of 2004 when he landed three of the top Iowa prospects and then plucked Metcalf out of Michigan, attracting one of the nation’s most coveted prospects to a school that had produced just four All-Americans in its first 84 seasons.
During Metcalf’s recruiting visit, Jaudon informed the heralded recruit and his father, Tom, of the school’s history with transfer releases, Lynn Metcalf said.
Lynn Metcalf said her son later received a letter from Brands stating Brent would receive a full-ride scholarship, along with an unconditional release from Virginia Tech. Lynn Metcalf said the school used assurances as “a recruiting tactic “and “they were doing whatever it took to get the recruits.”
“That’s a shame because we all had the understanding when we got recruited, “she said. “It would seem that you would stand behind your word.”
Jaudon told The Roanoke Times that Brands overstepped his boundaries if he made such promises. Brands did not return a phone message Wednesday and has declined to comment on the matter.
“We were all under the assumption — and not just from coach Brands, but truly from the athletic department as a whole because I know for a fact he didn’t act independently, “Lynn Metcalf said. “Virginia Tech landed some top recruits, and we all had the same concern coming in or we wouldn’t have gone there. That’s just the truth. There would be no reason to make up a story because it’s kind of obvious it’s not a wrestling college.
“It’s a nice college to attend, but we went there for coach Brands and had that fear and that’s why all of us clarified it prior to going there. Our worse nightmare just happened.”
Virginia Tech has stated it would grant the wrestlers releases following the 2007 season, but Shaver is skeptical.
“Who’s to say if we stay out there a year that they wouldn’t say they’re changing their policy again and not letting us go? “he said. “Then we lose another year.”
That’s why they plan to join Brands in Iowa City, even if it means sitting out next season. For Metcalf, who is considered an NCAA title contender, it would mean missing the 2007 national tournament, which will be held in his home state.
Lynn Metcalf said Iowa was the only school her son listed as a potential destination when he filed for his transfer release.
“We asked Brent, ‘Is there anybody else?’ “she said. “It’s not that we weren’t loyal to Tom, but we knew if we put down (Michigan) that they would release him. I believe in my heart that if we put down Michigan or Oklahoma that he would’ve been granted a release. But (Iowa) is all Brent put down. He had no other interest. He said, ‘That’s where my coach is and I’m not going to put another school down.'”
Reach Andy Hamilton at 339-7368 or [email protected].
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