The NCAA Division I Council Coordination Committee recommended today that all student-athletes who participated in spring sports should be granted eligibility relief. 

“Details of eligibility relief will be finalized at a later time,” the NCAA said in a statement. “Additional issues with NCAA rules must be addressed, and appropriate governance bodies will work through those in the coming days and week.”

This comes a day after the NCAA announced that all spring and winter championships will be canceled in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19). 

The statement from the NCAA Division I Council Coordination Committee says: 

“All Division I sports will operate under the guidelines of a recruiting DEAD period from now until April 15, 2020.”

“The Council Coordination Committee agreed that it will be appropriate to grant relief for the use of a season of competition for student-athletes who have participated in spring sports.”

“The committee recognizes that several issues need to be addressed related to providing an additional season of competition, including financial aid implications.”

“Conferences and institutions should make decisions and take action in the best interests of their student-athletes and communities without first seeking approval through an interpretation or waiver.  For example, institutional discretion should be used to provide appropriate support, benefits, and expenses to student-athletes as adjustments are made to academic and athletics schedules.”

The spring sports include baseball, men’s and women’s lacrosse, softball and men’s volleyball. 

The committee also said that they’d discuss the winter sport student-athletes who were unable to participate in conference and NCAA championships. 

Elijah Jackson, The George-Anne Sports Editor, gasports@georgiasouthern.edu