Division I of the NCAA could see a policy change on student transfers and waivers approved this week, according to Michelle Brutlag Hosick of the NCAA, a change that would allow transferring students a 6-year window to complete their 4 seasons of eligibility if their transfer causes them to sit out a season.
The idea comes from a Division I Leadership Council subcommittee which has been studying the situation of transferring athletes and is expected to recommend the changes at the NCAA Convention this week.
The legislation applies to a specific group of student-athletes: some athletes who transfer are eligible to compete immediately the next season based on factors like releases, or where they transferred to or from. Those athletes would be unaffected by the new policy. But currently some athletes are required to either sit out a year of competition or apply for a waiver through the NCAA. These are the athletes that the new policy is intended to address.
If it’s implemented, this new procedure would do away with the waiver process for these athletes, forcing them to sit out a year, but in exchange would grant them an extra year to complete their eligibility. Current rules allow an athlete a 5-year window to fit all 4 years of eligibility into; the new policy would make that a 6-year window.
Those athletes would still have to provide some reasoning for the extension – the NCAA release (linked above) uses a serious family illness as an example.
The proposal is meant to counter abuse of the current waiver process as well as address claims that it’s inconsistent in its current form. If accepted, it would take effect next fall, meaning athletes transferring to a new school for the 2014-2015 season would be subject to the new rules.
Well my name is Ja-zhyoun Laing I attended 3 colleges I went two a two year junior college D3 and left after 1 year but didn’t play, I was full time one of the semesters and part time another, then I attended another junior college playing 1 year there and graduating with my Assoicates Degree Now I am at a D3 school which I only played 7 games my first year there and then this season which would be my junior season I faced two injuries, with that being said I am about to graduate and head to graduate school where I would have my graduate year to play but why wouldn’t I be able to get my year back… Read more »
Jared,did this new policy ever get implemented? If so, would my son be eligible for a 6th year?
He started college 2011 but took a Redshirt (surgery) his freshman year at a Div 1. (basketball)
Played 82 minutes his sophomore year (2012-2013).
Transferred to another Div.1 school his junior year (2013-2014). Sat Out entire year.
Transferred to another Div.1 school (financial reasons), has to repeat his junior year (Sitting Out)
Next year (2015-2016) will be his senior year (eligible to play). Will graduate as Undergrad.
Btw, he has kept a Dean’s list ‘A’ average his entire high school and college career.
Thanks so much for your help and your article.
Pete: the proposal wasn’t approved in January, but it does appear the NCAA approved it in April at the same time as the ground-breaking autonomy ruling:
http://www.ocregister.com/ucla/big-611255-ncaa-schools.html
You would have to talk to your son’s coaches to be sure, and there is likely some sort of application process he’ll have to go through, but it does appear your son could earn a 6th year to finish out his eligibility.
Jared,
Thanks for your prompt reply. It would appear that the only satisfaction we may receive from this whole ordeal is a possible 6th year to gain some additional play. It’s funny how I was told that the sit out rule was originally designed to benefit the student by helping them acclimate to the new transfer school (both academically and socially). When you maintain a 3.8+GPA, have a great work ethic and high moral character, what’s the point in sitting out?? Thanks.
Let’s say someone has three years of eligibility left. The original rules made them sit out a year and lose a year of eligibility. The new rules would allow that person to essentially keep all of their eligibility and just have to wait a year to start?
Not exactly – under current rules, an athlete has four seasons of eligibility that have to all fall within a 5-year window from the first year they start competing. So an athlete can sit out one full year, then finish the rest of their eligibility.
The new policy, if implemented, would essentially allow an athlete to sit out two different seasons and still compete in 4 seasons, if they’re approved for the 6th year extension.
Seems like those that transfer would then have an age (maturity) advantage.