Iowa State dismisses senior guard for failing to meet expectations: ‘I said something that I regret’

Iowa State guard Caleb Grill, who started all but three of the Cyclones games this year, was dismissed from the team on Wednesday. 

A senior, Grill averaged 9.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game in 25 games. 

Guard Caleb Grill of the Iowa State Cyclones walks across the court during the Texas Tech Red Raiders game at United Supermarkets Arena on Jan. 30, 2023, in Lubbock, Texas. (John E. Moore III/Getty Images)

“We hold our players to high standards and there are expectations that our student-athletes are held accountable for,” Iowa State head coach T.T. Otzelberger said in a statement.

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While the team did not discuss his dismissal specifics, Grill posted a lengthy message to Twitter on Wednesday, apologizing to his former teammates and the fans. 

“Unfortunately, I said something that I regret which has cost me the opportunity to finish out my dream at Iowa State,” Grill wrote in the statement. “I hope that the players and Iowa State fans can find it in their hearts to forgive me.”

Caleb Grill of the Iowa State Cyclones shoots against the Kansas Jayhawks at Hilton Coliseum on Feb. 4, 2023 in Ames, Iowa. (David K Purdy/Getty Images)

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Grill, who is a native of Kansas, played his first year at Iowa State before playing for UNLV as a sophomore. He returned to the Cyclones and played the past two seasons in Ames, Iowa. 

In his statement, Grill expressed his love for the university and coach Otzelberger while sharing that he has struggled with his mental health during the 2022-23 college basketball season. 

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“Lastly, one day, when I am brave enough, I hope to be able to share my story about my mental health and my mental illness I have been battling through all season,” Grill wrote. “While everyone was commenting on the hair, or the funny actions on the court, it was a way for me to get out that state of mind and feel like being myself instead of the dark place I have been in this season” 

Caleb Grill of the Iowa State Cyclones drives against the TCU Horned Frogs at Hilton Coliseum on Feb. 15, 2023, in Ames. (David K Purdy/Getty Images)

“If it was not for the love and support from family network back home, including my mom Lena, my dad Chris, and my two brothers Kyle and Alec, I am not sure I would be alive and I would have made a decision that would have affected so many people’s lives.” 

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The Cyclones have lost four games in a row and six of the last seven as they prepare for the Big 12 tournament.