University of Akron wing Evan Mahaffey received the loudest ovation of any Zips player at the program’s tipoff reception on Friday, Oct. 30 — and, as the Akron Beacon Journal reported, he is also at the center of the eligibility fight that could define Akron’s season before it begins.
Mahaffey, a versatile 6-foot-6 wing, is the main connective tissue between this roster and the 2025-26 team that became, in March, the first Akron men’s squad ever to three-peat as Mid-American Conference Tournament champion, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.
The uncertainty comes from a rule the NCAA passed in June granting players five seasons of eligibility — a rule that excluded players who graduated from high school in 2022, the Beacon Journal reported. Mahaffey is one of many 2022 graduates across the country fighting for a fifth year…