NCAA Actions That Impact Student-Athletes

Actions applicable to all 3 NCAA Divisions

Schools are prohibited from requiring student-athletes to waive legal rights regarding COVID-19 as a condition of athletics participation.

Schools are required to review current insurance coverage for all student-athletes who are competing this fall and to provide that coverage information to student-athletes.

Student-athletes must be informed about the health risks involved and the steps being taken by their university to mitigate those risks as mandated in the Resocialization of Collegiate Sport document.

Actions specific to NCAA Division I

The Division I Board of Directors instructed appropriate committees and staff to work on plans for hosting scaled-back Fall-sport championships in the Spring. This work will include determining the size of each championship bracket, and the manner in which the championships are to be conducted.

All Division I Fall-sport athletes will be granted an additional season of eligibility and an additional year on their eligibility “clock” through a blanket waiver.

Any Division I athlete who chooses to opt out of their Fall sport due to Covid-19 must not have their scholarship cancelled or reduced for that reason.

Student-athletes who do not enroll full time during the 2020 fall term have flexibility in satisfying the academic progress-toward-degree requirements that must be met for eligibility in future terms.

Actions specific to NCAA Division II

Any Division II student-athlete who chooses by October 1 to opt out of their sport during the 2020-21 academic year must not have their scholarship cancelled or reduced for that reason.

If a Division II student-athlete opts out after October 1, their university can choose to continue the athletic scholarship for that athlete but will not be required to do so.

Division II student-athletes who opt out and don’t participate in their sport will receive an automatic extension of their eligibility by two semesters or three quarters.

Student-athletes who opt out after participating in competition, or who are not able to participate in more than 50% of their season will have the opportunity to receive a season-of-competition waiver so that they will not be charged with the use of a season. These athletes will also receive an automatic extension of their eligibility by two semesters or three quarters.

Action specific to NCAA Division III

Division III student-athletes who are enrolled full-time and choose to opt out of all activity in their sport (including opting out of all practices and team activities before the date of the first contest) will receive an automatic extension of their eligibility by two semesters or three quarters.

Do you have questions?

For questions about any of these recent NCAA actions and how they impact your specific athlete, schedule a confidential Eligibility Issues consultation online, or contact us at rick@informedathlete.com or by calling 913-766-1235.