University of Wisconsin men’s basketball player and Badger big man Andy Van Vliet announced his decision to transfer away from Wisconsin men’s basketball program.
In a statement on his Twitter account, Van Vliet said “After meeting with the coaching staff last week, I have made the decision to leave the University of Wisconsin and pursue my academic and athletic goals at another Division I school.”
Van Vliet will take some time to weigh his options before deciding where he will continue his basketball career next year.
On to the next chapter. Thank you Wisconsin! pic.twitter.com/8va1wO6gKD
— Andy van Vliet (@andyvanvliet) March 13, 2018
He went on to thank his coaches, teammates, the Wisconsin staff and the Badger fan base for the support they had provided him during his time at UW.
“I want to thank Coach [Bo] Ryan and Coach [Gary] Close for giving me the opportunity to come to a world-class university and not only develop as a basketball player, but as a man,” Van Vliet said.
Van Vliet, who’s originally from Antwerp, Belgium said the whole process of adjusting from a different country was made easier by many thoughtful and caring people.
Van Vliet, UW’s first foreign-born player since 2005, averaged 3.4 points and 1.4 rebounds in 17 games this past season and made 31 appearances for the Badgers over his two-year playing career.
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His most notable performance came in November last year against South Carolina State when he produced career highs in both points (18) and rebounds (8). Many thought Van Vliet would play a larger part in the Wisconsin offense than he did at the end of last year — he averaged just 7.7 minutes per game.
While Van Vliet was an offensive threat on the floor as a seven-footer that could hit threes, it was ultimately his ineffectiveness on defense that limited his playing time. This could be beneficial on Van Vliet’s search for other Division I schools as most other programs don’t stress fundamentals and solid defense as much as Wisconsin.
“My only regret is not being able to finish what I have started,” Van Vliet said. “But this school and community will always hold a special place in my heart.”
