After getting his suspension reduced to 30 percent of the season Friday, Wisconsin men’s hockey forward Nic Kerdiles announced he will stay in Madison for the upcoming season.
In a press conference Monday, the highly-touted freshman said there was never a doubt he would remain a Badger and put his professional hockey career on hold despite the suspension. His first appearance in a Badger sweater will come Nov. 30 in a road game against Denver.
Before the Badgers officially got their season underway Oct. 6, Kerdiles was ruled ineligible for a year by the NCAA for unspecified reasons. Wisconsin immediately filed an appeal of the decision, but had to wait just over two weeks in order to hear a decision. On Oct. 18 at the initial appeal hearing it was revealed that the NCAA’s full season suspension came due to the fact that Kerdiles and his family stayed at a hotel under the credit card of an agent from Pulver Sports. While the family did pay Pulver Sports back for the room, the NCAA felt the period of time between the stay and the repayment was long enough to be deemed a loan – and therefore an improper benefit.
The Badgers’ two games against Northern Michigan last weekend are expected to count toward the reduced suspension.
Kerdiles was a highly touted recruit out of the U.S. National Team Developmental program based in Ann Arbor, Mich. In the 2012 NHL Draft he was an early second round selection at 36th overall by the Anaheim Ducks.
