Brust commits to Wisconsin, leaving Big Ten open to future lawsuits

According to several reports, former Iowa men's basketball recruit Ben Brust committed to Wisconsin on Friday. He now will play in Carver-Hawkeye Arena the next four years as an opponent trying to beat the Hawkeyes instead of helping to turn around the program.

Brust, a 6-foot-2 guard from Mundelein, Ill., originally signed with Iowa but was released from his scholarship after former coach Todd Lickliter was fired. He wanted to attend a Big Ten school, but the league's  inter-conference transfer rule prevents athletes to earn athletic scholarships at other league schools once they sign a letter of intent at a certain school.

Brust sought a waiver to the rule, and Iowa wrote a letter to the league on his behalf. But the Big Ten's academics and eligibility subcommittee denied Brust's request for a waiver. Brust, through Wisconsin, appealed the ruling and it was granted,

New Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery continued to recruit Brust, until the latter chose Wisconsin. McCaffery couldn't mention Brust by name on Thursday night, but called the appeal process "a minor distraction."

"It wasn't a major distraction," McCaffery said. "It was a rule I think we can debate whether it's right or wrong. I think the thing that impressed me the most was (Iowa Athletics Director) Gary Barta did everything he could possibly do to make sure he was doing the right thing for student-athletes, and to me that's what really impressed me about Gary."

With Brust's commitment to Wisconsin, you could argue that precedent has been set. What's to stop other signed athletes from filing waivers if Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez is fired or Minnesota basketball coach Tubby Smith leaves for a Southern school? The waiver requests will flood into the Big Ten office as will the lawsuits once one request is denied. The Big Ten established precedent with Brust. Now it must prepare for the aftermath.