LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby was ruled ineligible by the NCAA on Tuesday afternoon, according to a Texas Tech source.<\/p>\n
On3\u2019s Pete Nakos reports Sorsby\u2019s request for reinstatement was officially denied. Sorsby and Texas Tech University President Lawrence Schovanec released official statements on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Sorsby did file for a temporary injunction against the NCAA with a court date set for 9 a.m. on Monday, June 1.<\/p>\n
Sorsby released this statement after the ruling:<\/p>\n
\u201cLast Friday, I completed a residential treatment program for a diagnosed gambling addiction and anxiety disorder. While I accept responsibility for my behavior and know that I have a lot of work ahead of me, for the first time in many years I feel more free and no longer fully at the mercy of my addiction. I am endlessly grateful to all who have supported me over the last several weeks, especially my family, friends, the experts and staff at Algamus Recovery Services, and the entire Texas Tech community.<\/p>\n
This is the start of a new beginning that I feel fortunate to have. I know recovery from addiction is a long road and I hope that my experience has in even some small way reduced the stigma associated with speaking up about addiction and getting help. I am committed to my ongoing treatment and being a resource to many other student-athletes and other kids out there dealing with gambling addiction and other mental health issues.<\/p>\n
With the support of my coaches, teammates and the university, I\u2019m looking forward to returning to campus in Lubbock. If I\u2019m blessed and fortunate enough to have the opportunity to continue my college career at Texas Tech, I know I will get the support I need, including through the school\u2019s Center for Students in Addiction Recovery. I am deeply sorry to everyone I\u2019ve disappointed and am committed to the hard and necessary work ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n
Texas Tech plans to appeal the denial. Texas Tech University President Schovanec responded with the following statement:<\/p>\n
\u201cDear Texas Tech Community,<\/p>\n
Texas Tech University has long held that our strength as an institution rests on five shared values: Students and People First, Academic Excellence, Integrity, Exemplary Service, and Resilience. These are not aspirational words \u2013 they are the principles that guide every decision we make, especially the most difficult ones. In recent weeks, our football program has confronted a complex situation \u2013 with serious implications ranging far beyond athletics \u2013 that has called us to demonstrate those values. I want to speak directly to our community about where we stand.<\/p>\n
Last week, Brendan Sorsby completed an intensive inpatient treatment program for a diagnosed gambling addiction and anxiety disorder \u2013 a meaningful step forward in what will be a long recovery. This week, we will welcome Brendan back on campus. We share this update because transparency with our community is not optional; it is foundational to who we are.<\/p>\n
We want to be clear with you about what we believe, and why. Brendan himself has been open about his struggle with severe gambling addiction, and we believe his vulnerability deserves to be met with the full weight of this institution\u2019s support. Our foremost priority in contemplating Brendan\u2019s future with Texas Tech is his continued health and wellbeing.<\/p>\n
To provide the continued treatment, monitoring and support we believe Brendan needs, leaders in our athletics department have worked with Brendan\u2019s treatment team to put forward a plan that we believe is right for Brendan, for our institution, and for the integrity of college athletics. That plan is comprehensive, thoughtful, and built to sustain his long-term recovery at Texas Tech and beyond.<\/p>\n
As Brendan returns to campus and navigates his recovery, the following structure will be in place: ongoing outpatient clinical care; participation in group and individual therapy; mentor resources; treatment for his related anxiety disorder; active monitoring of his technological devices; installation of software to block betting sites from his devices; the appointment of a custodian to oversee his personal finances; and periodic compliance checks. This is not a symbolic commitment. Each element reflects our conviction, and Brendan\u2019s, that nothing matters more right now than his continued recovery. It is our duty to provide that support and that is support we are uniquely well-positioned to provide.<\/p>\n
Texas Tech is proud to be home to a nationally recognized Center for Students in Addiction Recovery (CSAR). With four decades of experience helping students navigate recovery, CSAR stands ready to support Brendan as he returns to campus.<\/p>\n
Over the past month, we have given careful and deliberate thought to what is right \u2013 not only for Brendan\u2019s recovery, but for his future as a student-athlete and a member of this community.<\/p>\n
Recently, the NCAA issued an initial ruling that Brendan is permanently ineligible to compete. Texas Tech will be appealing that decision. We believe that given the facts and the context of Brendan\u2019s case, the NCAA\u2019s ruling should be reversed or modified. As a generation of college athletes face the legalization and rapid proliferation of sports betting in our country, gambling addiction is rising to the point of epidemic among college aged men in particular. The NCAA\u2019s stated mission includes \u201cfostering [student-athletes\u2019] lifelong well-being\u201d, and they have claimed their goal is to promote a \u201cculture of care\u201d for student athletes\u2019 mental health. Gambling addiction is a clinically recognized behavioral disorder, as defined in the DSM-5.<\/p>\n
The NCAA\u2019s own Chief Medical Officer has called for a \u201charm reduction approach\u201d in dealing with problem gambling so that student-athletes can \u201cseek support without fear of impacting their eligibility.\u201d The NCAA\u2019s own policies and procedures for reinstatement call for \u201creaching an outcome that considers the well-being of the involved student-athlete.\u201d We are asking that the NCAA follow their own stated principles in this case. Ignoring these facts in this ruling puts the letter of their rules ahead of the spirit of their mission.<\/p>\n
The NCAA bylaws governing Brendan\u2019s case have not adapted to the era of widespread legalized sports betting that this generation of college athletes now has to navigate. He is not the first college athlete to face gambling addiction, and unfortunately, he will not be the last. Our responsibility as higher education leaders is to create environments that support young people\u2019s growth, maturation, and success, fit for the times in which they live. Given that Brendan has taken accountability for his addiction and actions, a brave act in any circumstance, but especially under the intense scrutiny of a national spotlight, we believe that the best path forward for him is on campus, among his teammates, embraced by the strength of this community.<\/p>\n
As more and more young people face the pressures of gambling, the integrity of sports will continue to face greater risk. Our commitment to the integrity of the game will remain steadfast as we navigate these uncharted waters. Texas Tech has long maintained institutional measures \u2013 including use of ProhiBet monitoring technology and robust compliance education for student athletes \u2013 to detect and deter wagering violations. Those measures will remain in place as the landscape continues to evolve.<\/p>\n
Our values include Students and People First, Integrity and Resilience. Brendan\u2019s case calls for all three. Brendan has shown great resilience. We\u2019re committed to doing right by him \u2013 by giving him the support he needs to recover from addiction and finish his collegiate athletic career. We\u2019re also committed to doing right by all of you \u2013 to protecting the integrity of the game, to following the rules and making Texas Tech an institution you remain proud to call home.<\/p>\n
Sincerely, <\/p>\n
Lawrence Schovanec”<\/p>\n
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