“This step is in the best interest of the University,’’ said Larry Eppley, chairman of U. of I.’s board of trustees.

The school had previously informed the NCAA of its plan. The NCAA had deemed the chief “hostile and abusive’’ and had barred the university from hosting lucrative postseason championships.

But in a letter from the NCAA dated Thursday, officials said that, once the chief is done, “The university will be immediately removed from the list of institutions’’ sanctioned by the NCAA.

The NCAA letter said the school could now host tournaments.

The school’s announcement came before a hearing at which Champaign County Circuit Judge Michael Jones refused to grant current Chief Illiniwek portrayers Dan Maloney of Galesburg and Logan Ponce of St. Charles a court order to block the university from dumping its mascot of 80 years. The two students sued the school and the NCAA, claiming their rights of free speech and expression are being violated by the school’s decision to dump the chief.

dnewbart (at) suntimes.com