At a time when serious criminal charges often only warrant a brief suspension and a few extra wind sprints in practice, it's refreshing to see that Villanova won't compromise its standards to win.
The university announced Monday morning that it has suspended freshman forward JayVaughn Pinkston for the spring semester as a result of his role in an off-campus altercation last month. The McDonald's All-American will not play for the Wildcats this season and cannot take classes in the spring but he intends to return as a redshirt freshman in 2011.
"I am sorry," Pinkston said in a statement. "This situation is my responsibility and I have learned from it. I am going to work extremely hard so that I can return to the Villanova family in June."
The harsh punishment for Pinkston comes as no surprise considering how Villanova handled another case involving another prominent player last season. In that instance, senior Reggie Redding was suspended for the fall semester after police found marijuana in his car following a minor car accident.
Villanova's stance toward discipline is a stark contrast to the way other programs have handled offseason incidents involving high-profile players. For example, Baylor's LaceDarius Dunn missed only three regular season games following an arrest on charges of domestic assault and UNLV's Tre'Von Willis missed just two regular season contests after pleading no contest to a reduced misdemeanor domestic battery charge.
"JayVaughn understands that there are consequences to his actions," Villanova coach Jay Wright said in the statement, "and I believe he will continue to handle this in a mature manner. We look forward to his return in June."
The loss of Pinkston leaves Villanova depleted on the interior behind starters Mouphtaou Yarou and Antonio Pena. Wright had said during the summer that Pinkston would have an opportunity for immediate playing time off the bench.
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