Western Kentucky football player Victory Vaka lost his scholarship after taking time away from the program to grieve his mother, Sarah Mataele, after she died unexpectedly passed away on April 2.
After the program made its decision and the NCAA also denied his legislative relief waiver, Vaka has been left one semester from graduation with no path to transfer and use his final season of eligibility.
“It’s like inhumane what they did,” Vaka told CBS Sports. “When some of these coaches say they care, they really don’t.”
Back in the spring, the WKU program acknowledged his situation and granted Vaka permission to fly home and attend Mataele’s funeral. According to Vaka, an assistant strength coach called him nine days before the funeral and told the defensive lineman he needed to return to Bowling Green by June.
Though that expectation had already been set, Vaka’s position coach reached out May 26 to ask him where he was. Travis Taylor, the chief of staff at Western Kentucky, told Vaka and his agent one day later that the program had decided to revoke his scholarship.
Following the incident, Vaka planned to enter the transfer portal. Normally players whose athletic aid is canceled can transfer through the NCAA’s aid reduction or cancellation exemption.
Instead, Western Kentucky designated Vaka as a “failure to report,” a disciplinary dismissal that made him ineligible for the exemption. As a result, he was unable to enter the transfer portal. Now, Vaka may be out of options.
Vaka, a former three-star recruit, began his career at BYU, but did not play. The 6-foot-3, 335-pound defensive lineman spent two seasons at College of the Canyons, one season at Northern Arizona and the 2025 season at Texas Southern before landing at Western Kentucky in January for his final season of eligibility.
Reach sports trending writer Alaina Morris at amorris@gannett.com and follow her on X at @alainammorris.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Western Kentucky axed football player’s scholarship after his mom died
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