NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State men's basketball head coach Dan Muller has announced that rising senior guard Matt Chastain and rising junior forward Taylor Bruninga have decided to end their playing careers with a medical exemption due to chronic and repeated injuries to their lower bodies.
"It is never easy when a student athlete is forced to decide between what he loves to do and what is right for him and his future," said Muller. "Unfortunately, that is the decision that both Matt and Taylor had to decide these past couple weeks. While I wish both were healthy and could continue on the court as Redbirds, I know the pain that they have both had to manage over the past couple of years, and it has been very tough on them. Matt and Taylor will still be a part of this program and we will help them in any way we can."
Both will remain in school to complete their degrees, and both will graduate in May, 2021; Chastain with a bachelor and master's degree in professional accounting, while Bruninga will graduate with a degree in agriculture business and a minor in business.
Chastain played in 19 games during the 2019-20 season, scoring 61 points (3.2 per game), while pulling down 51 rebounds (2.7 per contest). The LeRoy, Illinois, native had four starts during the season, and made 51 percent of his shots on the season.
Bruninga played in 15 games with two starts last season. The Mapleton, Illinois, native scored 26 points, averaging 1.7 per game, while pulling down 31 rebounds, 2.1 per contest.
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