Virginia Tech has responded to critical allegations from North Carolina Central head coach Trei Oliver. Oliver claims a Virginia Tech assistant coach was on the sideline of the Durham, NC HBCU final season in an try to recruit one in every of his gamers.
In an announcement launched Saturday, Virginia Tech said that it had no prior data of the incident.
“That is the primary time the difficulty has been delivered to our consideration, and no concern has beforehand been shared with us via any formal channel,” the assertion learn. “Virginia Tech takes all NCAA guidelines significantly and is dedicated to conducting our program with integrity. We’re reviewing the matter internally and can handle any findings appropriately.”
The feedback got here after Oliver spoke at a media occasion on Friday. When requested about probably the most outrageous second of his teaching profession, he pointed to an incident in the course of the 2024 season.
“Virginia Tech was truly on my sideline recruiting our working again,” Oliver stated. “That was fairly daring. I couldn’t consider it.”
Oliver stated the second prompted a stir in the course of the sport. A number of of his assistant coaches tried to calm him down, suggesting the customer was simply there to observe.
“He’s simply down right here visiting,” they advised him.
However Oliver wasn’t shopping for it.
“I knew what it was,” he stated.
Star Operating Again Transfers to UVA
Oliver didn’t title the participant in the course of the interview, however it seems that it was his star working again J’Mari Taylor. Taylor was a first-team all-conference performer and has since transferred to the College of Virginia.
Taylor is predicted to be a part of the Cavaliers’ working again rotation this fall.
UVA is scheduled to play Virginia Tech on November 29.
“Thank God he went to UVA,” Oliver stated. “And UVA goes to beat the smoke out of them folks.”
Broader Implications
Oliver’s declare has sparked dialog round recruiting ethics and the remedy of HBCU applications within the trendy school soccer panorama. The NCAA switch portal has created new alternatives, but in addition new dangers—particularly for smaller applications making an attempt to retain their prime expertise.
As Virginia Tech begins its inside overview, the teaching world is paying shut consideration. Oliver’s story raises necessary questions on entry, tampering, and respect throughout all ranges of faculty soccer.
