NC State freshman Ted Kapita cleared by NCAA, eligible to play against St. Francis

RALEIGH — Still waiting on Omer Yurtseven’s nine-game ban to wrap up, NC State has been forced to start the season with a four-guard lineup alongside Abdul-Malik Abu. Those issues won’t be as prevalent moving forward with freshman power forward Ted Kapita deemed eligible by the NCAA.”The NCAA conducted a thorough, and thoughtful evaluation of Ted’s complete situation,” said Director of Athletics, Debbie Yow. “We appreciate their diligence in reaching this outcome.”Kapita missed the two exhibition games and the Wolfpack’s season-opening win against Georgia Southern. With the NCAA ruling him immediately eligible, Kapita will enter the Wolfpack’s rotation on Sunday against St. Francis.”I’m very happy for Ted,” said head coach Mark Gottfried. “He’s been patient through this process and I look forward to him getting back on the floor.”The addition of the freshman couldn’t come at a more perfect time for Gottfried’s team. While NC State came away with a win against Georgia Southern, it struggled inside defensively with Abu and BeeJay Anya both collecting four fouls in the season opener.In place of Yurtseven, Torin Dorn has made his presence felt inside with 19 rebounds in the first two exhibition games and a double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds) against Georgia Southern. Now having the 6-foot-8 forward from Kinshasa, DR Congo in the fold gives the Pack a much more formidable lineup in the frontcourt.