Ex-Saints will likely redshirt as freshmen
By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Saint Louis School graduates B.J. Batts and Bronson Carvalho will not be able to join the Alcorn State football team until Aug. 23, the first day of school.
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Neither was cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse, which rules on the eligibility of all freshman student-athletes.
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Batts, a kick returner, and Carvalho, an offensive lineman, are 2004 graduates of Saint Louis.
Fellow Saint Louis graduate and freshman Oren Long, a defensive lineman, is eligible and with the team.
Batts and Carvalho, who were both named to the Advertiser's All-State first team last year, will likely take redshirt years, according to Alcorn State media relations director Tyrone Broxton. He said they would have to graduate in four years to gain a fourth season of eligibility.
The NCAA requires an incoming freshman to earn passing grades in 13 or 14 core classes. The number of classes is based on a sliding scale, factoring a student's grade-point average and SAT or ACT score.
Batts said his SAT score (870) was not high enough and he was waiting on his ACT scores.
"I had an ACT score that was supposed to come in, and they are still waiting for it to come in," he said. "On the 23rd they are going to let me know what is going on."
Carvalho said "they said my grades didn't match my SATs," and that he had problems with his high school credit count because he transferred from Kapa'a High to Saint Louis in his freshman year.
He said he didn't know about the problems with his credits until it was too late.
"I would have known earlier, but I found out later; now they say I'm going to redshirt," he said.
Batts and Carvalho have been in Mississippi taking summer school courses in psychology and health. They will continue training and join the team Aug. 23.
• The Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City, Utah) reported that former Saint Louis receiver Desmond Hanohano did not qualify academically to attend Utah and will play for Snow Junior College this season.
The newspaper also reported that freshman defensive lineman Randy Faletoi of McKinley also didn't qualify, but has appealed to the NCAA for a waiver because of a learning disability. The newspaper said Faletoi could end up enrolling for school in January after taking English and math courses.
Hanohano, an Advertiser All-State first-team selection, and Faletoi, a second team pick, are 2004 graduates.
NOTES
• Gymnasts Erin Geary and Mandy Pascual received Academic All-America honors from the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women.
Geary, who will be a sophomore at Stanford, was one of three Stanford gymnasts to post a 4.00 grade point average. Geary is a 2003 graduate of Punahou from Honolulu.
Pascual, a senior-to-be, earned a 3.93 in chemical engineering. Pascual is a 2001 graduate of Punahou from 'Aiea.
Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.
