NCAA approves additional year of eligibility for spring sports athletes
STAR-ADVERTISER / FEB. 26
Colton Cowell of the Hawaii men’s volleyball team is among the spring sports student-athletes who are eligible to receive an extension of their NCAA eligibility due to seasons shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NCAA’s Division I Council today approved a measure that will provide spring-sport players an “additional season of competition and an extension of their period of eligibility,” the NCAA announced on its website.
The ruling was made in response to spring-sport athletes whose seasons were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision essentially freezes each athlete’s current class standing, meaning a senior this year will be a senior next year, and a sophomore will be a sophomore.
To accommodate seniors wishing to return and incoming recruits, the financial aid rules will be adjusted. Returning seniors whose eligiblity would have expired this season will be allowed to receive up to the amount of financial aid they are receiving this year. Returning seniors’ aid also will add to a team’s scholarship limit proportionately.
UH athletic director David Matlin put out a statement this afternoon: “We were anticipating this decision from the NCAA and have done some preliminary evaluation. We understand the situation that our spring sport student-athletes are in and are sensitive to them. That said, we will continue to evaluate our options and do what is in the best interest for our athletic program as a whole in fiscally responsible and thoughtful manner.”
UH fields 10 teams that are considered spring sports: baseball, beach volleyball, men’s and women’s golf, softball, men’s and women’s tennis, outdoor track and field, men’s volleyball and water polo.
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This could be potentiallly good news for UH. Seniors Rado Parapunov, Colton Cowell and Patrick Gasman will be eligible to return to the second-ranked men’s volleyball team. The sport previously was limited to dividing the equivalent of 4.5 scholarships.
It also possibly extends the eligibility for four UH baseball players, including pitching ace Logan Pouelsen. Baseball had been limited to the value of 11.7 scholarships split among 27 players. The roster limit had been set at 35. It now can go up to 39 players if all seniors return.
Beach volleyball has five seniors, and softball has two.
A UH meeting is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon for the coaches to discuss the impact of the ruling.
