Ryan Koziol may be Providence-bound

Updated: July 21, 2011 10:38PM

According to sources, Ryan Koziol has filed the formal paperwork and requested a transfer from Brother Rice to Providence.

Celtics athletic director Doug Ternik would neither confirm nor deny that Koziol is enrolling at Providence.

“I don’t know if he is or not,” Ternik said. “Has the family talked to Providence about transferring? Yes. They came in and talked to us. But I can’t verify if he’s transferred over here or not.”

Regardless, that doesn’t necessarily mean Koziol, a shortstop/pitcher who has committed to the University of Arizona, would be eligible to play at Providence in spring 2012.

Per IHSA rules, Brother Rice would have to sign off on the transfer. If not, Koziol would then have to petition the IHSA in hopes of being declared eligible.

Rice might be hesitant to sign on the dotted line, considering how Ed Koziol, Ryan’s father, bashed the baseball program’s facilities.

In a story published June 15 in the SouthtownStar, Ed Koziol cited the reason for his son’s transfer as Rice having “by far the worst facilities in the Catholic League” and “we don’t like the baseball facilities at Brother Rice.”

Ed Koziol, a Crusaders assistant from 2007 to ’11, also said, “Brother Rice doesn’t do anything to enhance the appearance of the facilities unless I donate the money.”

Transferring based on the conditions of athletic facilities appears to run contrary to the IHSA’s standards.

In its rule book, the IHSA sets forth a “Philosophy Underlying IHSA Eligibility Rules.” That philosophy states “Standards governing eligibility are a necessary prerequisite to participation in interscholastic athletics, because ... they keep the focus of educators and students on the fact that students attend school to receive an education first and participate in athletics second; ... (and) they prevent ‘district hopping’ or ‘shopping around’ for schools or athletic programs which may suit an individual’s personal interests.”

Providence finished 37-4 and was the Class 4A runner-up to champion Lyons. Brother Rice ended its season 14-15-1 and lost in the regional final to Lincoln-Way North.

Calls to Ed Koziol were not returned.

Officials from Brother Rice declined to comment.

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