Preston Mattingly

[hoosierdogg 3,271]

Lamar has a 27 year old sophmore guard named Preston Mattingly, the younger son of Don Mattingly.  Preston was a first round draft pick out of high school I believe in the 2006 MLB draft.  He played 6 years or so of minor league ball. Baseball apparently didn't work out for him and he decided to go to college, on a basketball scholarship (not sure about this, maybe Daddy is paying his way).  Heard Don will be in AH on Saturday.  Pat Knight must have recruited Preston as Pat was let go earlier this year, and Preston played for Lamar last year.  Too bad, that would have been interesting for Pat Knight to come back to Assembly Hall along with Donnie Baseball, 

[CampHoosier 3,697]

I wish I could be in college at 27

[NOLA Hoosier 1,267]

I wish I could be in college at 27

 

I heard this last night and was pretty astounded...a 27 year old sophomore and Don Mattingly's son. Weird.

[eljefe6 360]

I thought you lost a year of eligibility for every year after high school you are not enrolled in college

[MartintheMopMan 7,765]

I thought you lost a year of eligibility for every year after high school you are not enrolled in college

I'll second wanting an explanation of how he still has eligibility.

[Bowhunter 2,880]

I work with a guy that played on Preston ' s AAU team here in Evansville. Should be interesting to see how he gets up and down the court.

[BlueDevil 9,255]

I thought you lost a year of eligibility for every year after high school you are not enrolled in college

There was a 25-27 year old guy for Florida States bball team a couple years ago that didn't go to college until then cause he was serving our country.

[keato2299 34]

Really good athlete went to my high school and could of gone d1 for basketball but chose to sign in the mlb instead

[IU Bud 445]

I saw Preston play in high school for Evansville Central. Very cocky on the court. The type of player you end up hating by the end of the game. He was a pretty good high school player, but I never thought he would play D1 basketball. It looks like he is starting. I can't wait to see how he defends our guards.

 

Don married my daughter's dance teacher. I would expect Don will be at the game. I sure wouldn't miss my kid playing in Assembly Hall!  I am sure he is back in Evansville for the off-season. My seats are in section 2 next to the visitor's bench and the parents sit behind the players.  I will see him if he is there. Might have to go say hi to Miss Lori.

[IU Bud 445]

I thought you lost a year of eligibility for every year after high school you are not enrolled in college

I believe if you start college, you have a 6 year window to complete your eligibility. If you never started college, you would still be eligible.

[eljefe6 360]

There was a 25-27 year old guy for Florida States bball team a couple years ago that didn't go to college until then cause he was serving our country.

That is very different than playing pro baseball

[KingPG21 6,587]

There was a 25-27 year old guy for Florida States bball team a couple years ago that didn't go to college until then cause he was serving our country.

Wasn't Brandon Weeden the same way? He did something that prevented him from being in college until he was in his late 20's. 

[KingPG21 6,587]

That is very different than playing pro baseball

...... The application is literally the same. This happens all the time

[MartintheMopMan 7,765]

I believe if you start college, you have a 6 year window to complete your eligibility. If you never started college, you would still be eligible.

I'm still confused. I looked at the NCAA eligibility rules and I get how you can play pro for a different sport than you're going to compete in. But, by delaying to play organized sports at all you "Must enroll full time at a college or university during the first regular academic term, which occurs following the one-year period after high school graduation or will lose one season of intercollegiate competition for each calendar year during which you continue to participate in organized competition."

So, he had a 1 year grace period, but then over the next 7 years he should have given up 7 seasons of play.

Even if not, it doesn't make sense for the reasons people talk about him at all. He's 9 years older than some players on the court. He had almost a decade of conditioning and growing.

[IU Bud 445]

I'm still confused. I looked at the NCAA eligibility rules and I get how you can play pro for a different sport than you're going to compete in. But, by delaying to play organized sports at all you "Must enroll full time at a college or university during the first regular academic term, which occurs following the one-year period after high school graduation or will lose one season of intercollegiate competition for each calendar year during which you continue to participate in organized competition."

So, he had a 1 year grace period, but then over the next 7 years he should have given up 7 seasons of play.

Even if not, it doesn't make sense for the reasons people talk about him at all. He's 9 years older than some players on the court. He had almost a decade of conditioning and growing.

I know there was someone in their 30's that was playing football a few years back. We had a football player that served in the military. I thought he was 25.  I can't see why it would matter when the clock would start for eligibility as long as you were a student in good standing.

[bleedhoosier 3,627]

All I know was Don Mattingly was my absolute hero growing up along with Dan Majerle.. this is a great non conference for me! 

[MartintheMopMan 7,765]

I know there was someone in their 30's that was playing football a few years back. We had a football player that served in the military. I thought he was 25.  I can't see why it would matter when the clock would start for eligibility as long as you were a student in good standing.

Military I could see granting an exception for, mostly because... it's the military.

People are just different between age 18 and age 27.  27-year-old Frank Gore could run circles around 18-year-old Frank Gore. With time and maturity a lot of people improve. And, if you're allowed to play pro for a different sport in between, it's not like you can even say "well, they're giving up their future career by doing so".

[Geometry Hoosier 1,171]

Matt Mauck played football at LSU after a stint in the Cubs organization.

[biteoftheapple 4,115]

My reading of the eligibility rulrs, states military and missionaries get leniancy. Nothing I read stipulated a professional athlete being special consideration.

[eljefe6 360]

Right, but the rule, as quoted, makes it seem he has no eligibility. Unless he's been enrolled full time for 7 years while playing ball