Contrary to some beliefs, the power to withhold a release from a student-athlete is vested in an athletic director.

Amidst the recent developments with freshman basketball player Mike Lipnisky and NIU’s Athletic Director Gerald O’Dell, NCAA legislative assistant Rick Evrard cited the stipulations.

“It’s up to the institution whether they want to issue a release to a student-athlete or not,” Evrard said.

Evrard went on to say that a student-athlete is bound to an institution by two NCAA rules. The first one being NCAA rule 13.1.1.3. The rule states that one institution can not contact a student-athlete of another institution without getting a release from the latter schools’ athletic director.

The other is the transfer rule which states that an athlete must sit out one year before participating in a sport if he or she transfers.

Which is exactly the case for Lipnisky. The freshman standout allegedly asked O’Dell for a release on Monday, but the fifth-year athletic director refused the request.

“I went to Mr. O’Dell on Monday and requested a release to talk to other schools,” Lipnisky said. “But, he’s not going to give it to me until they hire a new coach.”

On Tuesday, O’Dell denied Lipnisky’s request, but Wednesday the athletic director would not comment on the situation. O’Dell did note his position on any release predicament.

“My role as athletic director is not to impede the mobility of a student-athlete academically or athletically,” O’Dell said. “My role is to be concerned about the welfare of the student-athlete.”

O’Dell also noted that the release rule is in effect to prevent athletes from moving at their own will.

“The reason athletes sign a National Letter of Intent is to discourage the transient athlete syndrome,” O’Dell said.

If Lipnisky’s request for a release does not get granted by NIU and he still decides to transfer, the First-Team Mid-Continent Newcomer will have to not only sit out one year at a new institution, but without any financial awards.

“If we don’t issue the secondary release,” O’Dell said. “Yes, the athlete can sit out a year, but not receive any financial aid, too.”