Wisconsin appeals Big Ten ruling on ex-Iowa recruit

Wisconsin's athletics department has appealed a Big Ten ruling that denied former Iowa men's basketball recruit Ben Brust a chance to earn a basketball scholarship at a league school other than Iowa this year.

Brust, a high school senior from Mundelein, Ill., originally signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Iowa but was released from his scholarship when Iowa fired former coach Todd Lickliter in March. Several Big Ten schools pursued Brust but a league rule prohibits Brust from an athletic scholarship with another league school because he had signed a letter of intent with a Big Ten school.

Iowa officials agreed to waive the rule for Brust, but a Big Ten subcommittee denied the request last week. Chipman said the process could wrap up within the next few weeks.

"The academics and eligibility subcommittee reviewed the request to waive the inter-conference transfer rule, and they denied the request," said Scott Chipman, the Big Ten's associate commissioner for communications. "Wisconsin has since appealed that ruling, and now it is being reviewed by the entire faculty representative group. They denied the request for waiver and now there's an appeal."

This step is the final collegiate recourse for Brust's quest to earn a Big Ten scholarship outside of Iowa. The NCAA has no jurisdiction over league waiver issues.

"It's a Big Ten rule, so if they deny it, then that will be the final decision," Chipman said.