2001 Too Late For Recker, Iowa

Iowa (AP) Luke Recker is hoping the NCAA will allow him to begin playing basketball at Iowa next season instead of January 2001 by waiving a rule on transfers.

"There is an appeal process," said Recker, who announced Dec. 6 that he would transfer from Arizona to be closer to his girlfriend, who is hospitalized in Chicago, and his family. "I'm definitely looking into it."

Fred Mims, associate athletic director at Iowa, said Tuesday he'd had no discussions with Recker regarding an appeal.

That can't happen until Recker is enrolled at the university, which could be as early as next week. Second-semester classes begin Jan. 18.

Recker, who concludes first-semester classes at Arizona on Friday, would have been eligible at Arizona the start of the 2000-2001 season. He won't be eligible to play at Iowa until January 2001, unless he appeals and wins.

The NCAA requires that athletes transferring within Division I-A sit out one academic year before regaining eligibility.

"First and foremost, this was for personal reasons," Recker said of his most recent transfer.

Recker, his girlfriend and her brother were passengers in a car that was rammed by a truck near Durango, Colo., in July. The driver of the car was killed.

Recker's girlfriend, Kelly Craig, suffered a spinal injury and was left partially paralyzed. Her brother, Jason Craig, remains in a coma. Recker suffered a broken wrist and needed 200 stitches on a cut near his left ear.

Recker, who played at Indiana his first two seasons, had announced in May that he would transfer to Arizona. Iowa had been his second choice.

But after the accident, he felt he needed to be closer to the Craigs and to his family. His father, Clair Recker, lives in Washington, Iowa.

"I hope the NCAA would look at it as a personal tragedy that had nothing to do with basketball."

Recker wil be able to practice with the team as soon as he enrolls for second-semester classes, which could be as early as next week.

Recker was granted a release Dec. 7 from his scholarship at Arizona, and called Iowa coach Steve Alford that day to tell him he was joining the Hawkeyes.

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