Students, faculty of Mountain State University are still dealing with the news from the Higher Learning Commission to take away the school's accreditation.
Despite MSU planning to file an appeal on the ruling, the school's athletic department is faced with no other option to have their athletes walk out on their scholarships.
Athletic Director and Men's Basketball Coach Bob Bolen said he has talked one-on-one with athletes about leaving MSU to find better opportunities else where.
Bolen said there are some student athletes who have decided to leave in hopes of finding somewhere else to play, but there are some who are going to wait out the process.
"It kind of feels like a death or something I've put this much time into over the 18 years and started it from scratch. The coaching staff has been here together for 10 years, but they still haven't thrown the dirt on us yet."
After the Higher Learning Commission came down with their decision to pull accreditation from MSU coaches sat down with their players to give advice.
"I've been so competitive in recruiting and to sit there and tell your guys, 'hey it could be really bad. If you want to transfer I'm fine with it don't show any loyalty to me, by staying.' and this late in the year a lot of people don't have scholarships."
Djemson Lormistois is an MSU Senior and on the Men's Soccer Team. We found him working out inside the gym, "I'm just trying to workout and stay in shape in case I have to move to go fine a new school to be ready."
Lormistois said he doesn't want to leave the Beckley campus, but it might have to happen, "we all thought we were going to be here and play…obviously I don't think that's going to happen."
Bolen said if the appeal process MSU takes does work out in the school's favor and there are still some basketball players who stick it out he will do what he can to make a team, "if there is 8 or 9 players who want to stay here and we can figure out something and then that's what we are going to do."
Officials with MSU report they will be filing an appeal next Monday.
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