The Badgers cornerback is a part of a unprecedent move with his transfer.
In an unprecedented move, Wisconsin Badgers star freshman cornerback Xavier Lucas is transferring to the Miami Hurricanes without ever entering the transfer portal, according to Yahoo Sports’s Ross Dellenger.
Lucas, who had signed a two-year rev-share agreement with the Badgers back in December, had announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal on December 19th.
He then filled out the requisite paperwork to enter the transfer portal, but the Badgers never officially put his name in, prompting the cornerback to hire attorney Darren Heitner to resolve the dispute.
Here is what Dellenger wrote on the situation:
“Lucas, a freshman this past season, withdrew from classes at Wisconsin and enrolled academically at Miami. By not formally signing with Miami, he presumably skirts any NCAA transfer rules. He enrolled for the Fall 2025 semester but is expected to be reclassified to Spring 2025,” Dellenger said.
“The move, for now, avoids a legal filing. Heitner had planned to file suit against both the NCAA and Wisconsin over antitrust claims related to the situation, accusing Wisconsin of blatantly violating NCAA rules by not inserting Lucas’ name into the portal as he requested and questioning the legality of the NCAA’s transfer portal.
“Wisconsin officials have remained quiet on the situation. However, the school is declining to enter Lucas into the portal as he signed a two-year revenue-share agreement last month before requesting a transfer. The agreement, a Big Ten-issued template form, binds Lucas — and all players who sign — to that specific school and grants that school a player’s non-exclusive rights to use and market their name, image, and likeness. The agreement prohibits the player’s rights to be used by any other school while permitting him or her to sign outside marketing agreements, according to those familiar with the template.”
Lucas had elected to transfer to Miami after his father suffered a “serious, life-threatening illness,” according to his attorney, who also shared that “in an act of desperation,” the cornerback and his family reached out to head coach Luke Fickell last week, who instead had hoped to convince him to stay at Wisconsin.
This situation seems far from over, but an NCAA spokesperson had shared that rules do not prevent Lucas from making the move.
“NCAA rules do not prevent a student-athlete from unenrolling from an institution, enrolling at a new institution and competing immediately,” an NCAA spokesperson said in a statement, via Dellenger.
We’ll see what’s next to come, but Lucas, as expected, is heading to the Miami Hurricanes.
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