The NCAA News - News and Features

November 3, 1997

Legislative assistance

1997 Column No. 39
Correction
1997-98 NCAA Guide to Eligibility

NCAA Division I institutions should note that in the 1997-98 NCAA Guide to Eligibility, page 128, the second paragraph incorrectly indicates that student-athletes in the sports of football and basketball who are not qualifiers are eligible for financial aid and practice during the first academic year only if they have graduated from a two-year college, have satisfactorily completed 48 semester or 72 quarter hours at the two-year college, have been full-time students at least three semesters or four quarters with a cumulative 2.000 grade-point average and have completed 35 percent of the baccalaureate course requirements in the student's specific degree program at the certifying institution.

The paragraph should read as follows: Student-athletes in the sports of football and basketball who first entered a two-year college on or after August 1, 1996, and are not qualifiers are not eligible for competition during the first academic year in residence at the certifying institution. Such students are eligible for institutional aid and practice the first academic year only if they have graduated from a two-year college, have satisfactorily completed 48 semester or 72 quarter hours at the two-year college and have been full-time students at least three semesters or four quarters (excluding summer terms) with a cumulative grade-point average of 2.000. However, such a student-athlete who has successfully completed at least 35 percent of the course requirements in the student's baccalaureate degree program at the certifying institution also is eligible for competition during their first academic year in residence [Bylaw 14.5.4.1.3 and 14.5.4.1.3.1].

Bylaw 14.2.5-(c)
Hardship waiver -- completed events

The provisions of Bylaw 14.2.5 permit a student-athlete to be granted an additional year of competition by the conference or the NCAA Eligibility Committee for reasons of "hardship." Hardship is defined as an incapacity resulting from an injury or illness that has occurred under all of the conditions set forth in Bylaw 14.2.5. In accordance with Bylaw 14.2.5-(c), the injury or illness must occur before the student-athlete has participated in more than two events or 20 percent (whichever number is greater) of the institution's completed events in his or her sport for student-athletes in Divisions I and II and three events or one-third (whichever number is greater) of the institution's completed events in his or her sport for student-athletes in Division III. Only competition (excluding scrimmages and exhibition contests in Divisions I and II, but including such contests in Division III) against outside participants during the segment in which the championship in that sport is conducted shall be countable under this limitation in calculating both the number of events in which a student-athlete has participated and the number of completed events during that season in the sport.

During its August 2, 1989, meeting, the former NCAA Council determined that in the administration of the hardship waiver, the calculation of an institution's completed events in individual sports in which championships selection is based upon competition throughout the entire season (e.g., tennis, golf) must include competition that occurs during the entire season (both segments) rather than just the segment in which the championship in that sport is conducted. In addition, in those sports in which championships selection is based upon competition during only a portion of the season, the hardship rule should be applied on the basis of competition conducted during that portion of the year.

This material was provided by the membership services staff as an aid to member institutions. If an institution has a question or comment regarding this column, such correspondence should be directed to Richard C. Perko or Kristen L. Davis, membership services representatives, at the NCAA national office. This information is available on the Collegiate Sports Network.