Why transfer shortstop Maui Ahuna wasn't able to play for Tennessee Baseball this past weekend in Arizona
Hours before the Tennessee Vols kicked off the 2023 baseball season, unfortunate news about transfer shortstop Maui Ahuna broke. Ahuna wouldn't be able to play for the Vols due to an eligibility issue. When the reports surfaced on Friday, there was no timetable included for when Ahuna would be able to take the field for […]
Hours before the Tennessee Vols kicked off the 2023 baseball season, unfortunate news about transfer shortstop Maui Ahuna broke.
Ahuna wouldn't be able to play for the Vols due to an eligibility issue. When the reports surfaced on Friday, there was no timetable included for when Ahuna would be able to take the field for Tennessee.
It turned out that Ahuna wouldn't be able to play the entire weekend due to the NCAA not clearing the former Kansas shortstop.
On Monday, we learned what's at the root of the issue.
247Sports' Ben McKee, who has covered Tennessee baseball since before it was "trendy", joined 104.5 The Zone's "Ramon, Kayla, and Will" on Monday to discuss a variety of topics surrounding Vols athletics, including the Ahuna situation.
According to McKee, UT self-reported a violation involving Ahuna a couple of months ago. The issue was expected to be cleared up before opening weekend. And it was a surprise to the Vols when it wasn't cleared up.
"Tennessee did a couple of months ago report a self-violation of getting him on a plane out here before they should have, or something along those lines," said McKee. "That has kind of caused a question with his availability. From Tennessee's end of things, they expected this to be taken care of weeks ago. This has been a conversation within the Tennessee baseball program for a couple of months. But it didn't necessarily become one publicly because they fully anticipated it being cleared up with a couple of weeks to go before opening day."
"They were very, very surprised that it was not worked out ahead of time," added McKee.
This situation could essentially be resolved at any time. So it's certainly possible that Ahuna is deemed eligible to play in Tennessee's next game, which is on Tuesday against Alabama A&M. It could also drag out a bit longer. The Vols, as has often been the case in recent years, are at the mercy of the NCAA.
It never fails that the NCAA manages to rob a student-athlete of a few games. It's happened numerous times at Tennessee over the last several years, as well as at numerous other Power-5 programs.
Without Ahuna in the lineup, the Vols went 1-2 in Arizona during the opening weekend of the season.
Featured image via Chris Day/Jackson Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK
