DePaul releases Pitchford from letter of intent after denying request

DePaul releases Pitchford from letter of intent

CHICAGO — DePaul has released recruit Walter Pitchford from his national letter of intent after initially denying his request.

New coach Oliver Purnell says “there were external circumstances” when DePaul turned down the request, and an NCAA appeal “confirmed what we felt were valid reasons” to so. Purnell says his staff has since decided to grant the release.”

Pitchford, a 6-foot-10 center from Grand Rapids, Mich., was recruited by former coach Jerry Wainwright, who was fired in midseason. After Purnell replaced interim coach Tracy Webster, Pitchford decided he wanted to go elsewhere.