The Colleges : Rodriguez Status Remains Unclear for Fullerton

The Cal State Fullerton gymnastics season opens tonight without a decision on whether men’s team captain Eli Rodriguez will be permitted to compete while he awaits trial on a misdemeanor charge of aggravated assault.

Rodriguez was suspended after his involvement in the stabbing of a former teammate in September.

Coach Dick Wolfe, citing a shortage of available gymnasts, says it will be mathematically impossible for Fullerton to win without Rodriguez.

“We don’t have enough people to field five gymnasts in each event without him,” Wolfe said. “We would have to take 0’s, and you can’t win if you do that.”

Rodriguez was allowed to resume practicing with the team in November after the charge was reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor.

But Athletic Director Ed Carroll said the matter is “still under review” and that he didn’t know if he would make a decision before the meet.

“There’s not a definite timetable,” he said.

The men take on San Jose State and the women take on Stanford.