The verdict is in: #FreeVanVliet will not happen, and Wisconsin basketball team will be without freshman Andy Van Vliet, as the appeal by Wisconsin to overturn the NCAA’s decision has been dismissed and the decision has been upheld.

READ ALSO: NCAA Rules Van Vliet Ineligible

Van Vliet, a 6-11, 203-pound freshman from Antwerp, Belgium, was initially ruled ineligible by the NCAA on November 4. The Badgers immediately appealed the decision, but the NCAA has its answer and Van Vliet will now not only miss the 2015-16 season, but he will lose a year of eligibility, as well.

Here’s the statement from the Wisconsin basketball program:

Andy Van Vliet update pic.twitter.com/72eYyVEvzG — Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) November 18, 2015

As UW noted, because Van Vliet played as an amateur and didn’t enroll in school within the allotted year after his high school graduation, he will not only have to sit out this season, but will lose a year of eligibility. Van Vliet can return to the team for the 2016-17 season as a sophomore.

It’s a big hit for the Badgers, who will be a very short team in 2015-16. While Van Vliet certainly needs to bulk up to pound in the post, he would have been the Badgers tallest player this season a year after the Badgers lost 7-footer Frank Kaminsky.

Instead, the Badgers tallest starter will be 6-9 Ethan Happ, who is joined by 6-9 forward Alex Illikainen as the two tallest players on the team.

The fact that Illikainen suited and played Sunday night when the Badgers took on Siena may mean the Badgers had a pretty good idea that Van Vliet would be ineligible, or Illikainen may have sat and decided to redshirt.

Instead, the Badgers will be without the tall freshman, one of five scholarship players in the class of 2015, including Illikainan, Charlie Thomas, Brevin Pritzl and Khalil Iverson.

Wisconsin fans will need to wait for 2016-17 to see what Andy Van Vliet can bring to the table.