Church League Participation Costs Colgate S Nathan Harries Year Of Eligibility

Harries, who is Mormon, played in the league this past summer following his two-year mission commitment with the church.

“We had one guy who played with us and he was like, ‘If any of you have any advice you could give me that would be great because I never played basketball before,’” one player, a 36-year-old high school teacher told the AJC.

The NCAA's decision was enough to infuriate Harries’ father, Michael.

“Some of the rulings that come from the NCAA don’t make sense,” Michael Harries said. “Johnny Manziel gets a half-game suspension for signing autographs. A guy plays three games in a church league, and he loses a year. Obviously there’s a difference between big-time athletes and small-time athletes with the NCAA.”

The school is appealing the NCAA’s decision, but like any NCAA ruling, who knows what the NCAA will decide.