Wesley Chapel center Kamran Joyer, who signed with USF in February, has asked for and been granted a release from his scholarship with the Bulls after uncertainty as to whether he would be accepted academically, his father, Jack, said Monday afternoon.
Joyer had agreed to take two courses at Hillsborough Community College this summer, then go before the academic committee that reviews incoming athletes at USF in August.
But Jack Joyer said Monday he received an e-mail from USF's academic adviser for football, Jason Linders, alerting him that even if Joyer completed the two classes with high grades, he wasn't guaranteed to be accepted
The issue, his father said, relates to the practice of "grade forgiveness," as Joyer retook four classes online to improve grades he earned in the classroom. Doing so allowed him to meet the NCAA minimum requirements — his father said he has a 2.59 grade point average and an 870 on the SAT — but Joyer was told that USF would weigh the original grades when considering whether to admit him.
Joyer's release frees him to sign with another program. Jack Joyer did not name any schools Monday, but said last week he was aware that Michigan and Tennessee had scholarships available.
Ex-Pirate to sign with Mets: Former Pasco High power-hitting shortstop Robbie Shields, the New York Mets' third-round pick in the recent big-league draft, is expected to sign with the club this evening, his mother announced.
Shields, the draft's 103rd overall pick, will begin play in the Mets' Class A affiliate in Brooklyn, Pam Shields said. Terms weren't disclosed, but the signing bonus could reach six figures. The 103rd pick in the 2008 draft received a $350,000 bonus according to Baseball America.
Shields, who played three seasons at Division II Florida Southern College, hit .329 with 22 home runs and 122 RBIs as a collegian. As a Pasco senior in 2006, he hit .553 with a Pasco County record-tying 18 homers.
Among Shields' teammates will be former Ridgewood standout John Servidio, an outfielder in his second season of pro ball.
Koenigsfeld honored by conference: Former Ridgewood baseball standout Jon Koenigsfeld, who just completed his junior season at Division II Valdosta (Ga.) State, has been recognized by the Gulf South Conference as one of the league's 10 best all-around student-athletes.
The GSC "Top Ten" Award, considered the conference's second-highest honor, is given to its top five male and female student-athletes based on athletic, academic and extra-curricular achievement.
Koenigsfeld, who holds a 4.0 grade point average and hit .328 as a shortstop last season, becomes eligible for the Commissioner's Trophy as the top male student-athlete in the conference.
"Jon embodies all the qualities that we think of with a student-athlete," Blazers coach Greg Guilliams said. "His leadership and work ethic are unmatched."
The 2005 valedictorian at Ridgewood, Koenigsfeld, a middle grades education major, has earned VSU's Male Student-Athlete Academic Award and made the GSC All-Academic Team both his seasons on campus. This past school year, he also logged nearly 20 hours of community service.
More offers for Drake:Nature Coast rising senior tailback Tevin Drake, who already has received a scholarship offer from Miami, confirmed Monday morning that nearby Division I schools Florida Atlantic and Florida International also have made offers.
Drake, who has run for more than 2,700 yards the past two seasons, said he has no timetable for making a decision. He has attended camps at UM and USF this summer, but said he has no other camps scheduled.
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