WPIAL approves 2 Serra Catholic transfers after eligibility hearing

By: Chris Harlan
Monday, November 7, 2022 | 4:26 PM

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The WPIAL ruled Serra Catholic transfers Matt McNeal and David Jordan fully eligible after the sophomores attended an eligibility hearing Monday in Green Tree.

Their transfers raised flags with the WPIAL mainly because both transferred from Woodland Hills.

“The board wanted more information because you had two kids leaving one school and going to the same school, so they wanted to ask those related questions,” WPIAL executive director Scott Seltzer said. “That’s part of the board’s responsibility to make sure (there are no issues) before they grant eligibility.”

Seltzer said their answers satisfied the board.

The one-year postseason ban for most transfers under PIAA rules does not apply since both switched schools before their sophomore years.

Seltzer said both were likely to play basketball this winter at Serra Catholic. Neither was a varsity player as a freshman at Woodland Hills. McNeal also was an outfielder on the Wolverines baseball team.

The WPIAL has hearings scheduled Tuesday for four Imani Christian transfers.

Two of the four, sophomore Damon Givner and junior Rayshawn Saunders, transferred from Obama Academy. Junior Kylan Holmes transferred from First Love, and sophomore Robert Sledge came from Bishop Canevin.

Imani Christian is one of the WPIAL’s smaller schools but its basketball program has one of the area’s top college recruits. Alier Maluk, a 6-foot-10 sophomore with Pitt and West Virginia among his offers, helped the Saints reach the WPIAL Class A semifinals and state quarterfinals last season.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Serra Catholic, Woodland Hills