Caleb Grill, a senior guard at Iowa State, has been kicked off the team right before March Madness.

Grill, who averaged 9.5 points in 31.3 minutes per game this season, was kicked off for an unspecified violation of team standards.

In the conclusion of a lengthy statement, Grill wrote that he “said something I regret.”

“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.

Otzelberger spoke to reporters on Thursday and pledged his support for Grill going forward.

Grill expressed gratitude for the program in a long message on Twitter.

“I am very grateful to Iowa State University for the last 4 years of my life,” Grill tweeted.

“Being able to play in Hilton Coliseum was a dream I’ve had since I was 13 years old. Every moment I’ve had at Iowa State has been the best blessing I have ever received in college. I cannot thank the support network from Iowa State and the fan base for truly being one of the best fan bases in the country.”

Iowa State is 17-12 this season and ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has them as a “lock” to make the NCAA Tournament.

Grill thanked former Cyclones head coach Steve Prohm for bringing him into the program, and Otzelberger for giving him playing time after replacing Prohm in 2021.

“Nothing will ever take away the moments we made in that arena, especially beating Iowa by Iowa State’s largest margin of victory in the rivalry’s history,” Grill said, referencing a 73-53 Cyclones victory last season.

He continued to thank teammates and family and speak about how passionate he has been about the Iowa State program since he was a kid.

At the end, he expressed his regrets with the situation.

“Unfortunately, I said something that I regret which has cost me the opportunity to finish out my dream at Iowa State,” he wrote.

“I hope that all the players and Iowa State fans can find it in their hearts to forgive me,” Grill said. “In the end, I want to remembered as a Cyclone no matter what my next step is.

“I love Ames and I love Iowa State and I will hopefully become a booster or donor some day when I get older. I love each and every person who is affiliated with Iowa State and I am proud to be an alumni of this university.”