How the NCAA's eligibility patchwork left Madina Okot behind
The NCAA eligibility system treated Diego Pavia and Madina Okot differently due to how seasons of competition and waivers are applied.
The timing could not have been more unfortunate for the Gamecocks. Within 48 hours of South Carolina's devastating loss to UCLA in the national championship game, one of the most compelling stories in women's college basketball came to an unceremonious end. Not on the court, but in an NCAA compliance office.
The season-of-competition waiver that the South Carolina program submitted to the NCAA for Madina Okot was denied, confirming the decision that the Gamecocks' senior has exhausted her collegiate eligibility. “Early in her basketball career, Madina made courageous choices not just to pursue just the sport, but also to better her life,” South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said of the Gamecock center. “Her path included just a short time with us in Columbia, but we are grateful to be part of her story.
She made our team and our sport better. ” Okot's story is actually quite extraordinary, as her ambition to play in the United States was tested repeatedly. The Kenyan basketball player was denied a student visa on four separate occasions before finally making it to Mississippi State for the 2024-25 season.
Okot only played one season with the Bulldogs before transferring to South Carolina. As a Gamecock, she averaged 12. 8 points and 10.
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