West Virginia guard Kerr Kriisa was suspended nine games for improper advantages in Arizona
West Virginia guard Kerr Kriisa won’t make his varsity debut until the 10th game of the season.
The school announced this on Tuesday that Kriisa was suspended for the first nine games of the 2023-24 season after receiving improper benefits in Arizona. Kriisa transferred from Arizona to West Virginia in the offseason.
“In late August 2023, West Virginia University learned of a possible eligibility concern for men’s basketball transfer athlete Kerr Kriisa, who admitted to receiving improper benefits while enrolled at the University of Arizona. West Virginia worked cooperatively with the NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Staff to find an appropriate resolution.”
The school said Kriisa is authorized to practice and travel during the suspension and that “he accepts responsibility for his actions in Arizona.”
Kriisa spent three seasons in Arizona and was a two-year starter for the Wildcats. He averaged 9.9 points and shot 37% in 2022-23 as Arizona finished second in the Pac-12 and won the conference tournament. The Wildcats were the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but lost to Princeton in the first round, which was one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
Weeks after the loss, Kriisa announced he would enter the transfer portal in April and quickly committed to West Virginia and coach Bob Huggins. Huggins resigned over the summer after being arrested for drunken driving, and his longtime assistant Josh Eilert was named the team’s interim coach. Kriisa briefly considered leaving West Virginia and going to another new school before staying there.
Kriisa is eligible to return Dec. 16 against UMass. As part of his suspension, he will miss games against Pitt, St. John’s and SMU.
