Six Wofford men’s basketball players that were ruled ineligible by the school for receiving “impermissible benefits” have been reinstated, according to the athletes’ attorney.
On Thursday, The Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman reported that the unidentified players were allowed to use meal plans provided to students housed in dorms while living in off-campus apartments. The improper benefits ranged from $84 to $108 in value.
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Yet shortly thereafter, the NCAA public-relations department posted a quote-tweet response to a post on X aggregating the original report.
“The NCAA did not suspend student-athletes at [Wofford] and did not take any action against any athletic department personnel at this school,” the statement added.
Wofford had not made any announcement regarding players being deemed ineligible. Attorney Mark Peper — who’s representing four of the players reportedly ruled ineligible, and seven players overall on the Wofford men’s basketball roster — said in an interview with WYFF’s Marc Whiteman that using the meal plans violated Wofford bylaws, not NCAA rules, and the players were never told the plans could not be used.
The school fired men’s basketball coach Dwight Perry and associate head coach Tysor Anderson last week for undisclosed reasons. Last season, the Terriers finished 19-16 and won the Southern Conference tournament to earn an automatic NCAA tournament berth. Wofford went on to lose to Tennessee in the first round.
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According to Peper, the six players were told by Wofford that they would be housed in upperclassmen dorms on campus. Five of them transferred from other schools. However, the players were placed in underclassmen dorms instead and subsequently rented an off-campus apartment. School officials were informed of the decision by Anderson.
Five days after fall classes began at Wofford, the five athletes were told to break their lease to remain eligible. They did so on Sept. 3. Two weeks later, the players were reportedly informed that the NCAA had ruled them ineligible for using their on-campus meal plans while living off campus.
In addition to regaining their eligibility with “no suspensions, no penalties, no repayment,” according to Peper, the players want Perry and Anderson to be reinstated to their positions since the athletes transferred to Wofford to play for them. The question now is whether or not the coaches will get their jobs back since the players won’t be penalized for any alleged violations.
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“Based on my investigation this week, there is nothing that indicates that prior to this meal plan off-campus miscommunication, Coach Perry was in no jeopardy of being removed as the head coach at Wofford,” Peper told Whiteman.
“I can only speak for my players, all of whom have said in no uncertain terms, both in writing and in meetings this week with various administrators, that they are here to play for Coach Perry,” he added.
With Perry’s dismissal, Wofford men’s basketball players have a 30-day window to enter the transfer portal under NCAA rules. Peper said the players he represents could explore entering the portal if Perry and Anderson do not get their jobs back.
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Assistant coach Drew Gibson was named the interim coach after Perry was dismissed. If the six players — or more — decide to transfer, that could leave Wofford unable to field a team two months before the 2025-26 season is scheduled to tip off on Nov. 8 versus George Mason.
