Matt Pilgrim will be available immediately this season and have two years of eligibility remaining.
Matt Pilgrim will provide immediate help for the Cowboy Basketball team this season.
Aug. 23, 2009
Stillwater, Okla. -
Matt Pilgrim has been granted a waiver by the National Collegiate Athletic Association on Friday afternoon, allowing him to compete immediately this season for the Oklahoma State Basketball team.
"We are excited that Matt will be able to be a part of the program this season," said head coach Travis Ford. "He will make an immediate impact on this team with both his abilities and his experience. He will make us a better team and brings a toughness with him.
"More importantly, I'm excited for Matt," continued Ford. "He's been through a lot and deserves this outcome. We appreciate the speed in which the NCAA processed his appeal, showing that the best interests of the student-athlete are being considered."
Pilgrim, a 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, spent his freshman and sophomore seasons at Hampton University in Virginia. He played 47 games and started 30 for the Pirates, averaging 9.2 points and 5.2 rebounds over two years. He was named to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference all-rookie team following his freshman season.
Pilgrim transferred to Kentucky prior to the 2008-09 season and sat out as a redshirt due to NCAA Division I transfer rules.
