UCSD holds its breath, hoping star transfer Treysen Eaglestaff stays eligible

Eaglestaff is among the 350 athletes from the high school class of 2022 who played four years and have sued for a fifth now that the NCAA is allowing future athletes five years to play five. For the Tritons, he’s not just some guy to fill out the roster but a 6-foot-6 sharpshooting guard who scored a record 51 points in a Summit League Tournament game and started 35 times for the Big 12’s West Virginia last season.

A guy who torched No. 21 USC for 29 points in a preseason exhibition two weeks ago.

We had the mindset that if we’re going to go down this route, let’s try to get somebody who can make a difference,” said UCSD coach Clint Allard, whose Tritons open the season Monday night at home against Division III Whittier. “This whole scenario is not without risk, but I worked with our administration to make sure the reward is worth it.”

While in Las Vegas, Eaglestaff heard murmurs of players returning to college for a fifth year with six- and seven-figure NIL checks instead of plying their trade for $45,000 in the G League.

The connection to UCSD is assistant coach Steven Aldridge, who overlapped with Eaglestaff during his three seasons at North Dakota. He also shares an agent with former Tritons guard Hayden Gray.