NCAA to possibly grant athletes eligibility relief

After the suspension of all spring sports by the NCAA, due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the NCAA Division I Council Committed announced March 13 that it would recommend eligibility relief to all student-athletes participating in spring sports.

That would mean 2020 seniors would receive an extra year of eligibility and be able to return for the 2021 season. The sports affected by this relief would include baseball, men’s and women’s lacrosse, sotball, men’s volleyball, wome’s beach volleyball, women’s rowing, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s outdoor track and women’s water polo.

The NCAA addressed the recommendation through a statement.

“Details of eligibility relief will be finalized at a later time,” the statement read. “Additional issues with NCAA rules must be addressed, and appropriate governance bodies will work through those in the coming days and week.”

One of the issues the NCAA will have to work out is scholarship limits that will likely need to be amended to allow seniors to return for another season.

NCAA Division I Council Committee Chair Dr. Grace Calhoun also said that the committee would “discuss issues related to seasons of competition for winter sport student-athletes who were unable to participate in conference and NCAA championships.” That could include some form of eligibility relief for basketball players, as well.

The NCAA also suspended all on-campus and off-campus recruiting for all college sports until April 15, as well.