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NCAA makes ruling on additional eligibility for student-athletes in winter, spring sports
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The NCAA has approved spring student-athletes to receive an additional year of eligibility after the 2020 spring sports season was canceled. The association made the announcement Monday night following a vote.
The Division I Council voted to allow schools to provide student-athletes involved in spring sports an additional season of competition to complete their eligibility. The council also approved new financial aid rules to allow teams to extend their scholarship limits to account for incoming recruits, as well as players who would’ve completed their eligibility this season.
Student-athletes are also required to complete their four years of eligibility within a five-year period, but the council also voted to extend the “clock” for one year for those student-athletes whose five-year time period would’ve expired this year.
“The Council’s decision gives individual schools the flexibility to make decisions at a campus level,” said Grace Calhoun, the council chair. “The Board of Governors encouraged conferences and schools to take action in the best interest of student-athletes and their communities, and now schools have the opportunity to do that.”
While the council did approve an additional year of eligibility for spring-sport athletes, it did not come to the same decision for winter-sport athletes. With a majority of the winter seasons completed, the NCAA voted against an additional year for those student-athletes.
Spring seasons and winter sports championships were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB