University of Georgia diver Zach Allen will take advantage of the NCAA waiver that awards all athletes who competed in the 2020-2021 collegiate season an extra year of eligibility because of the complications of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Allen has steadily improved over his first 4 years at Georgia. He started out with an 11th-place finish at the 2018 SEC Championships in men’s 1-meter. Allen then improved all the way up to qualifying for Men’s NCAAs the past two seasons. At the 2021 NCAAs, he finished 29th in 1-meter.
Allen adds depth to a small diving squad at Georgia. The Bulldogs only have one other returning diver: Hudson Coldren. Georgia also adds freshmen Rhett Hopkins and Nolan Lewis to the diving squad. Both freshmen have placed at USA Diving Junior Nationals.
In October 2020, the NCAA granted all winter sport athletes the option to use an extra year of eligibility following complications from the COVID-19 pandemic. Under normal circumstances, Division I student-athletes have a 5-year window during which they can use up their four seasons of eligibility. However, given the current situation with COVID-19, student-athletes of all class years have been offered an additional season of eligibility, regardless of where they are in their 5-year window. For a detailed breakdown on what the stakes are surrounding a 5th-year decision in 2021, click here.
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