NCAA will grant additional eligibility to spring-sports athletes

March 16, 2020 /
Following the cancellation of all winter and spring seasons and championships due to the spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus, many athletes were left wondering what their eligibility status would look like for coming seasons — especially seniors.

Photo: NCAA / Wikimedia Commons

The NCAA promptly responded to the questions led by the cancellations, announcing in a statement via USA Today that they would be providing eligibility relief to spring-sports athletes.

“Council leadership agreed that eligibility relief is appropriate for all Division I student-athletes who participated in spring sports,” the NCAA said the statement from the Division I Council Coordination Committee. “Details of eligibility relief will be finalized at a later time.”

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This announcement figures to be particularly important to seniors, who will now be able to take part in a “final season,” rather than having their collegiate careers cut short.

Not addressed in the statement was the eligibility of winter-sports athletes, including men’s and women’s college basketball — both of which had their postseason tournaments (both conference and nationally) canceled.

While the NCAA deals with the eligibility questions and cancellation repercussions moving forward, they are also temporarily suspending all on- and off-campus recruiting for all Division I sports, effective through at least April 15.