Junior forward Andy Van Vliet has decided to leave the Wisconsin men's basketball program and has been granted his release to explore transfer options, as announced by head coach Greg Gard on Tuesday.
“We thank Andy for what he did for our program over the last three seasons and we wish him the best moving forward,” Gard said. “We will help him in any way we can as he looks for a new school to continue his career.” “After meeting with the coaching staff last week, I have made the decision to leave the University of Wisconsin and pursue my academic and athletic goals at another Division I school,” Van Vliet said in a post on his Twitter account. “I want to thank Coach Ryan and Coach Close for giving me the opportunity to come to a world class university and not only develop as a basketball player, but as a man. When I made the difficult decision to leave my country and come here to play, Wisconsin was my first choice. Wisconsin has taught me a lot of things and I have grown and matured because of the challenges and experiences I have had here. My only regret is not being able to finish what I have started, but this school and community will always hold a special place in my heart.
“I also want to thank all the people in the athletic department, in specific Henry Perez-Guerra and Erik Helland, for being far more than just an athletic trainer and strength coach to me. I also want to thank all the loyal Badger fans that have helped me on this journey. It was a big adjustment coming from a different country and this whole process was made easier by many thoughtful and caring people.
“Finally, I want to say how much I appreciated and enjoyed all of my teammates over these last three years. I feel very fortunate to have been around so many talented athletes and, in the process, have made friendships that will last a lifetime. I am honored to call these guys my brothers and will miss seeing them and competing with them on a daily basis, but I know they have a great future ahead of them.”
Van Vliet appeared in 31 games over two seasons at Wisconsin. The Antwerp, Belgium, native averaged 3.4 points and 1.4 rebounds in 17 games in 2017-18, notching career highs of 18 points and eight rebounds vs. South Carolina State.
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via Badgers press release