NCAA Division 1 Council Recommends Extended Eligibility, Recruiting Dead Period Will Go Through September
For college athletes who have their fall seasons cut short or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, extended eligibility could be on the way.
On Wednesday evening, the NCAA Division 1 Council recommended to the Division 1 Board of Directors that athletes, who opt out of fall competition or have their seasons suspended or canceled receive an extension of their five-year period of eligibility.
This is similar to what happened with spring sport athletes back in March.
The Division 1 Council is also fighting for required medical coverage if an athlete contracts COVID-19 through playing their sport.
“In this time of uncertainty, the Council members are working to create additional flexibility for college athletes whose seasons have been negatively impacted by the pandemic,” Council chair, Pennsylvania athletics director M. Grace Calhoun said in a press release. “Every day things are changing in college sport, and we want to be as responsive as possible, with the best information, to help student-athletes and their families make important decisions for their future. The Council worked hard today and will seek membership input before we make final recommendations to the board next week.”
A final decision is expected to come on Aug. 21, when the Board of Directors will meet to discuss the fate of fall championships.
The current recruiting dead period has also been extended through Sept. 30. No in-person recruiting visits can take place at this time. The Division 1 Council will reassess this decision at some point in September to see if it needs to be extended yet again.
