WVU’s Josh Eilert on NCAA: ‘It Just Feels Like In a Lot of Ways They’re Moving the Goalposts’

WVU interim HC Josh Eilert spoke once again on Sunday night about RaeQuan Battle and his denied waiver from the NCAA. Battle’s appeal was denied on Tuesday as he and West Virginia have been very vocal about it since.

“RaeQuan thrives on hope. He thrives on optimism. It’s a shame that he’s getting the treatment that he’s getting. I would’ve thought, and I’ve said it over and over again to the media, it’s a no-brainer for RaeQuan to get the immediate eligibility. But what they’re seeing that we’re not, it just feels like in a lot of ways they’re moving the goalposts on us,” Eilert said. “It’s a shame because RaeQuan deserves to be playing basketball and deserves to be with his team. I certainly feel for RaeQuan if he loses that hope, loses that optimism, where he goes from there with his mental state. I can do everything I can, and I will do everything that I can to keep his head held high but that ain’t easy what he’s going through right now. It ain’t easy on our team, it ain’t easy on our locker room because we feed off each other’s emotions. A guy that is as positive and optimistic as he is starts shaking his head, that’s going to start affecting everyone in that locker room.”

Battle, a multi-time transfer from Montana State, has dealt with mental health issues throughout his life. Battle released a statement on Saturday talking about his thought process during his recruitment this past spring, saying that he had three options while transferring.

“The state of West Virginia has become a second home to me, and my teammates have become a second family. My hope is that the NCAA will understand what it is doing is wrong, that it will realize that it is going against everything it is supposed to stand for when it made this decision, and it will look at the facts and reserve itself. But more than that, even if I never play another game of basketball, I will not go quietly. At a minimum I will be one more Native American voice shouting into the ears of an institution that is all too oblivious of its failings and prejudices,” Battle said.

For now, Battle is ineligible this season and can finish out his eligibility during the 2024-25 year. Battle and West Virginia could potentially threaten to sue the NCAA if they choose to.