NCAA grants spring athletes extra year

The NCAA will permit spring sports athletes — such as baseball, softball and lacrosse players — who had their seasons shortened by the coronavirus outbreak to have an additional year of eligibility.

The NCAA Division I Council voted Monday to give spring sports athletes regardless of their year in school a way to get back the season they lost but didn’t guarantee financial aid to the current crop of seniors if they return to play next year.

Winter sports, such as basketball and hockey, weren’t included in the decision, declining to extend eligibility in sports where all or much of the regular season was completed.

The D-I Council is made up of college sports administrators representing all 32 conferences, plus two members of the student-athlete advisory committee.

How much scholarship money will be made available to each athlete whose college career would have ended this spring will be determined by the athlete’s school. The amount could range from nothing to as much the athlete had been receiving.

“We had long discussions around the fact that this does not avoid substantially difficulty circumstances, but what we felt was important was to localize decision-making and to ensure that we were as permissive as possible,” said Penn athletic director Grace Calhoun, who is council chairwoman.

Schools also will have the ability to use the NCAA’s Student Assistance Fund to pay for scholarships for students who take advantage of the additional eligibility flexibility in 2020-21.

Roster and scholarship limits will be adjusted next season to fit returning athletes along with incoming freshmen.

THE QUOTE