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Leticia Romero’s request to be released from scholarship finally granted

Leticia Romero, Nina Davis

AP Photo

AP

For more than a month the Kansas State athletic department refused to grant guard Leticia Romero’s request to be released from her scholarship, citing concerns about members from the previous coaching staff using her status in order to gain employment at another school. However as the month progressed and criticism grew, athletic director John Currie had a change of heart, writing a letter to the school’s appeals committee on Romero’s behalf.

But the group did not reverse its decision to deny Romero’s appeal, stating that it’s verdict was final.

Something changed between that point in time and today, with Kansas State announcing Tuesday that Romero will be released from her scholarship and is now free to transfer to any school not in the Big 12. It’s about time.

“We appreciate the support of K-State fans during this time and wish Leticia all the best in her future pursuits,” Currie said in a statement released by the school.

Romero would have been free to transfer to another school without the release, but she would not have have been able to receive a scholarship. A native of the Canary Islands, Romero joined the program due to the presence of then-head coach Deb Patterson and decided to leave after the coaching staff was not retained.

According to GoPowercat.com Tuesday’s announcement comes as a result of the school modifying its institutional policy regarding transfers. Was this really the case? Or did the amount of criticism the school received over the last month-plus lead to the move to grant Romero’s request to be released?

Regardless of what the answer is it doesn’t do a school much good to hold onto a player who doesn’t want to be a part of the program. And in cases of “tampering,” the presence of actual proof should be necessary.

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