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USAToday: NC State Bans Booster Eric Leak

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(CJ Leslie , pictured above, was given over $400 from former Wolfpacker and current booster, Eric Leak. Leak is now banned from stepping foot on NC State’s campus) 

USA Today ran this article last night about NC State banning the booster (Eric Leak) who gave money to both CJ Leslie and Tracy Smith.

According to the article Leak (a former NC State wide receiver) was given notice (in 2011) that he was to stay away from NC State after they found out about the benefits he was handing out to Leslie (and previously Smith). Leslie was suspended a few games and it seemed like it was over with. Then Leak was caught again, this time after contacting Wolfpack football standout David Amerson in 2012. That’s when NC State send him a cease and desist letter, banning them from the University and saying this:

“N.C. State will not tolerate aberrant conduct from an agent, runner or financial adviser. Furthermore, N.C. State will seek to take all actions necessary to protect its interests and to preserve the eligibility of its student-athletes.”

That should have been the end of it, but it wasn’t. Yesterday news broke about Eric Leak’s wife, Emily, had her car ticketed while on NC State campus. This put up another red flag that maybe the Leak’s aren’t complying to the University’s request. Here is what NC State sent to the Leak’s after the most recent episode:

Dear Mr Leak

This letter and the attached notice is a trespass warning from NCSU Campus Police Department. We have been recently made aware of a disassociation letter issued to Mr Leak by the NCSU Athletic Department on November 23, 2011. The Transportation Department at NCSU has a record of one or more of your vehicles being on campus and receiving parking citations for violations in areas are Athletic Facilities as recently as May 2013. In addition, a background check of Mr Leak has revealed a current Order of Arrest out of Union County from 2003. Due to these situations and your non-affiliation with the university, you are hereby trespassed from ALL OWNED OR LEASED NCSU PROPERTY and not allowed to be on such property. This order is in effect as of this date and will be in effect immediately.

If you feel this action has been unfairly taken upon you there are instructions on the reverse side to appeal the trespass warning. If you wish to appeal, follow those instructions to the letter, but do not return to campus until you are instructed that you are allowed to do so or you will be arrested for trespassing.


OUR TAKE:
 So what does this all mean? And why the heck is PI posting this? It makes NC State look bad!

We’re posting this because, in our opinion, this makes NC State look good. With all the news about boosters and agents handing out money and universities getting caught with their pants down, NC State is making news by cracking down on these people. No one can stop individuals from contacting players but if players know that it’s illegal and the university is getting aggressive in trying to stop this, then the Wolfpack is doing their job. Now, to be clear, this news doesn’t incriminate Leak or prove he’s doing anything wrong. His wife may have been on campus for any number of reasons, however it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Ever since Debbie Yow got here the University has been on lock down from agents. Even former players who are now agents have had their season tickets removed and haven’t been allowed to get tickets left for them by friends in the University. I, for one, am impressed with the lengths that Yow and the administration have gone to make sure that the Wolfpack doesn’t end up like a certain lawless institution down the road.

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NC State Basketball

WATCH: Andy Katz’s Offseason Convo with NC State’s Kevin Keatts

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Andy Katz is beginning to make his rounds for his Offseason Convo series, and he took the time to meet with NC State Head Coach Kevin Keatts.

In their conversation, Keatts talked about what this run has meant to Raleigh and the Wolfpack fans, how it has helped sell the program the way it deserves to be in recruiting, and even how it helped and hurt in the world of the Transfer Portal.

Check out the conversation below:

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Guard Mike O’Connell Announces He Will Play His Final Year of Eligibility at NC State

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Guard Michael O’Connell announced today that he will be playing his final year of eligibility at NC State next season.

 

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Today was the final day graduate players could enter the Portal.

This past season, O’Connell averaged 5.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Wolfpack, starting 22 of the 41 games he played in.

O’Connell took over as NC State’s starting Point Guard on January 30th in a win against Miami.

He only scored in double figures in 9 of his 41 games this season, but 6 of those came in postseason play (5 in the ACC Tournament). O’Connell took things to another level in the ACC Tournament, playing aggressive on the offensive end, looking for his shot, and attacking the rim.

NC State played it’s best basketball of the season when O’Connell was running the show. He ranked 3rd in the ACC in Assist/Turnover Ratio (2.5).

Heading into next season, with a lineup filled with new faces, having the calming presence of a veteran leader like O’Connell is reassuring.

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ECU Transfer Forward Ezra Ausar to NC State is Trending Up

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ECU Transfer Power Forward Ezra Ausar (6’9″/240) was on an Official Visit to NC State yesterday, and according to analysts at ON3 and 247Sports, things are trending in the right direction for the Wolfpack.

Jamie Shaw of ON3 submitted a prediction for Ausar to eventually commit to NC State yesterday morning.

Cory Smith of 247Sports submitted a crystal ball projection for Ausar to run with the Wolfpack this morning.

Ausar just wrapped up his Sophomore season in Greenville, averaging 11.4 points and 4.7 rebounds, shooting 51.4% from the field. As a Freshman, he was named to the AAC All-Freshman Team, averaging 9.8 points and 5.3 rebounds.

Ausar is a consensus 4-Star prospect in the Transfer Portal, and ON3 ranks him as the #60 overall player in the Portal and the #10 Power Forward.

Originally from Atlanta, Ausar played his Senior Season of High School at Liberty Heights Athletic Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina. ON3 ranked Ausar as a 4-Star prospect coming out of high school, the #94 overall player nationally, and the #2 player in the state of North Carolina.

Ausar has visited Seton Hall, Georgia Tech, met over Zoom with Georgetown, and had an in-home visit with Utah. John Calipari and his staff at Arkansas have been in touch with Ausar, as well as Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Arizona State, West Virginia, Iowa State and St. John’s. (Link)

At this point, it’s good news that Ausar has no visits scheduled after the visit to NC State.

Ausar has 2 years of eligibility remaining, and NC State currently has 1 scholarship remaining.

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NC State Signee Zamareya Jones Showed Out in the McDonald’s & Jordan All-American Games

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NC State 2024 signee Zamareya Jones has played in the McDonald’s All-American game and the Jordan Brand Classic over the past month.

In the McDonald’s game on April 2nd, Jones had 13 points, helping her East squad defeat the West.

 

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In the Jordan Brand Classic on April 21st, Jones had 15 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds. She also hit the game winner for Team Flight.

Jones is a 5-star prospect in the Wolfpack’s 2024 recruiting class, ranked 21st overall nationally by ESPN.

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