The lone returning starter for the Musketeers, sophomore
Dezmine Wells, was expelled last night from Xavier University. Wells was expelled due to “a serious violation of Xavier’s Code of Student Conduct,” according to a statement from the university. The decision was made by a
Xavier University Conduct Board (UCB). Members of the board, consisting of faculty, students and administrators deal with all violations of student conduct. Although other sources, such as CBS Sports, have reported that
the incident is sexually based, nothing has been confirmed as to the nature of the incident. Wells also faced disciplinary
action by the athletic department last season when he was suspended for four games following Xavier’s brawl with Cincinnati. Wells, the only returning starter for the Musketeers, would have led this year’s roster with a 9.8
ppg average from last season. With Wells gone, Xavier’s leading scorer from last season is Travis Taylor, a redshirt senior, with 4.5 ppg. As a freshman, Wells was nominated
for “Dunk of the Year” by ESPN and was also named to the
conference All-Rookie team. Wells was second in threepoint shooting percentage with .377, behind only Mark Lyons, who transferred to Arizona for his final season of eligibility. Including Wells’ departure, XU lost six of its 14 players from last year’s roster due to transfer, graduation and now expulsion. The Musketeers will now return
three seniors and two juniors, both of which were required
to sit out last season due to NCAA transfer regulations.
Sophomore Dee Davis and redshirt sophomore, Justin
Martin, round out Xavier’s returning roster. Both players saw
significant minutes in postseason play, due to in-game injuries, but saw minimal playing time during the regular season. Redshirt senior Brad Redford will be Xavier’s most experienced returning guard though the shooter has struggled after returning from his ACL injury at the start of the 2010-11 season. Wells’ presence will be missed
off the court as well. He was considered to be a fan favorite
by many Xavier followers. Wells was known for his Interaction with fans, as he was seen many times bonding with those lined up prior to games. Directly following Wells’s expulsion, Xavier signed junior college transfer Chris Cantino, who will be eligible to play immediately.
Tuesday, June 24, 2025