Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

7/22/2010 at 1:00pm

In case you may have seen quotes attributed to Arkansas State athletic director Dean Lee concerning what he discussed with a basketball transfer, ASU's information office sent out a press release earlier today attempt to clarify those remarks.

Jay-R Strowbridge, is explaining to the Jonesboro Sun why he was withdrawing from the Jonesboro university after recently enrolling, said he had spoken with Lee and believed from that conversation that Arkansas State would be facing a post-season ban following an NCAA investigation of the program. Reports indicated that men's basketball coach John Brady tried to explain to Strowbridge that any investigation would not affect this current team, but Strowbridge withdrew from school anyway.

ASU sent out this release to clarify what Lee actually told Strowbridge:

The July 21 issue of the Jonesboro Sun contained an article regarding Jay-R Strowbridge, a men's basketball transfer student-athlete who decided to withdraw from Arkansas State. The statements attributed to Strowbridge regarding a conversation with Dean Lee, Director of Athletics, are not accurate and ASU believes it is necessary to correct this misinformation.

"While it is true that the NCAA has an ongoing investigation involving men's basketball and other programs," Lee said, "the possibility of a postseason ban has never been suggested."

"Based on the nature of the violations and our understanding of NCAA case precedent, we would not anticipate a postseason ban," Lee continued. "I did not and would not have told Jay-R that there was a high possibility of a postseason ban because there is not. This was confirmed by Jay-R's comments on the "Rob and Rod Show" which aired on 103.9 FM this morning."

The matters currently under investigation occurred before head men's basketball coach John Brady and his staff were hired at ASU.

"All of our student-athletes should feel confident that their careers at ASU are not at risk due to the failures of the past. Upon discovering those failures, ASU promptly took corrective actions and self-reported violations to the NCAA. While we certainly will have penalties related to the current investigation, we do not believe those penalties will affect eligibility for postseason play in basketball or any other sport," Lee concluded.

The NCAA is apparently looking into a situation dating back a few seasons involving transcripts of several athletes in difference sports. The matter, extensively reported on at the time, was addressed by the schoo, as noted in the press release.

Strowbridge, who began his college career at Nebraska, has been all over the map in finding a spot to settle.

Tagged: Jonesboro Sun, Dean Lee, John Brady, Arkansas State Red Wolves, Jay-R Strowbridge