Baylor University officials made a formal request to the NCAA to allow its players to transfer to another Division I school without sitting out the upcoming season, the NCAA confirmed to ESPN.com on Friday.

Under NCAA rules, a player who transfers must spend one year in residence (or two semesters) before becoming eligible at the new school.

However, the Bears don't want their players to be punished further after the school took the team out of the 2004 postseason because of violations in the program. Baylor's cooperation in the matter could speed up a decision from an NCAA subcommittee on transferring.

A player cannot request the waiver to play without sitting out a season. The request has to come from the school the player is leaving or the one he is transferring to once he arrives on campus.

Several Baylor players are considering transferring.

The players, including preseason Wooden all-American Lawrence Roberts, don't want to take the chance of transferring to another school and being forced to sit out the 2003-04 season under the transfer rules.

Baylor placed itself on two years probation and a postseason ban for the 2004 Big 12 tournament, NIT or NCAA Tournament after the school announced violations in the program. Dave Bliss resigned as coach Aug. 8 after admitting his involvement in helping with the tuition of two non-scholarship athletes last season -- Patrick Dennehy and freshman Corey Herring.

If the NCAA puts a school on a postseason ban of one year, then only the seniors would be allowed to transfer without sitting out the one year in residence requirement. A player cannot play right away if the postseason ban doesn't exceed the player's remaining eligibility. The NCAA has to decide whether it will accept Baylor's sanctions. Even then, Roberts, a junior, wouldn't qualify. That's why Baylor is submitting the waivers on their players' behalf. If Roberts receives the waiver, then he could play next season at another school. Baylor doesn't want to punish the current players any more than the mental anguish they have suffered through during the investigation into Dennehy's murder. Former teammate Carlton Dotson is charged in the case.

Roberts' parents told ESPN.com on Wednesday night that their son will visit Arizona and Mississippi State. Roberts' parents said they didn't think there would be time next week to squeeze in a visit to Indiana.

All three schools have a scholarship available for Roberts for the 2003-04 season under the 13-scholarship limit and the five-eight scholarship rule. Schools aren't allowed to bring in more than five newcomers in one season, no more than eight in two.

Roberts is talented enough to make a major impact on Arizona's Final Four chances, Mississippi State's hopes of contending in the SEC West and Indiana's belief that it can hang with Michigan State, Illinois, Wisconsin and Ohio State in the Big Ten.

"He doesn't want to sit out," Cynthia Roberts said of her son's wishes.

"The kid wants to play,'' said Lawrence Roberts Sr. "This is an unusual situation. We're going to petition and hope for the best."

Meanwhile, whoever replaces Bliss could influence Roberts' decision. The Robertses said their son wants to wait and see the next coach before making a final decision.

Roberts has NBA potential and might only want to play one more season before testing the NBA draft. Roberts was one of the top players at the U.S. trials in Colorado Springs in late May. He made the final 16 for the Pan Am team but was cut because he suffered tendinitis in his knee during the tryouts last month in Orlando. Coach Tom Izzo of Michigan State raved about Roberts' toughness and ability to score in the post, but the injury prevented him from making the team.

Roberts (15.2 ppg, 10.4 rpg) would be an instant hit for the Wildcats, who lost Ndudi Ebi to the NBA draft in June. He would slide right in next to Channing Frye and form one of the top frontcourts in the West. Arizona is short another scoring forward and will have to rely on defensive stopper Andre Iguodala and rebounder specialist Isaiah Fox in Ebi's absence.

Arizona is set on the perimeter with Salim Stoudamire, Hassan Adams and point guard Mustafa Shakur. But getting Roberts would be a coup and immediately would make them a national contender. There is a connection with Roberts and Arizona. Arizona assistant and fellow Houston native Josh Pastner coached Roberts in an AAU tournament in Portland, Ore., when Pastner was playing for Arizona and Roberts was a rising senior in high school in Houston.

Mississippi State is in desperate need of a legitimate inside scorer after losing Mario Austin and Travis Outlaw to the NBA draft. Roberts would not have as much help with the Bulldogs but would immediately be their go-to player.

Indiana is in a must-get situation for another scoring frontcourt player with George Leach more of a defensive presence. The Hoosiers have a strong backcourt with Bracey Wright and Marshall Strickland but are weak in the post. Roberts would get plenty of touches with the Hoosiers.

Roberts, Kenny Taylor and John Lucas III all received releases from Baylor. So, too, did recruit Tyrone Nelson, who wants to get out of the National Letter of Intent penalty. Nelson must petition the NLI to play right away instead of having to sit out a year and lose a year of eligibility for snapping the agreement.

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.