Michigan lifts transfer restrictions for Doyle, Albrecht
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan said Friday it will no longer restrict where former basketball players Ricky Doyle and Spike Albrecht will transfer to.
Doyle has two seasons of eligibility remaining. Albrecht has spent four years at Michigan, but he hardly played at all this season after hip surgery.
Coach John Beilein says he initially agreed to what he called "established norms regarding intraconference transfers," but has since decided to drop any restrictions regarding their recruitment by other schools.
He says Albrecht will seek a medical redshirt in order to play for a fifth season and will able to play immediately at a non-Big Ten school; if he transfers to a conference school, he will need approval from the Big Ten first.
Doyle will have to sit a season regardless, under NCAA transfer rules. He will lose one of his two seasons of eligibility if he transfers to another Big Ten school.
"While I have concerns about the current transfer policies as well as potential effects to the landscape of collegiate athletics, we should do what is right for Ricky and Spike as they decide to further their education and basketball careers elsewhere," Beilein said.
The 6-foot-9 Doyle averaged 3.8 points and 12.2 minutes a game this season. He would have likely entered next season behind Mark Donnal and possibly Moritz Wagner on the depth chart. Albrecht played only eight games in 2015-16 before being shut down for the season in December. He played in less than 30 percent of Michigan's games.
