Senior spring sport athletes won’t get an extra year of eligibility at Wisconsin
Wisconsin will not be taking the NCAA up on allowing senior spring-sport athletes an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19 shutting down their seasons early.
That’s what the university said in a statement released Thursday afternoon.
“The NCAA Division I Council’s vote last month to allow institutions to provide an additional season of competition and extend the period of eligibility for spring-sport student-athletes comes at a time of unprecedented uncertainty in college athletics.
UW Athletics places tremendous emphasis on its student-athletes earning an undergraduate degree and having a great competitive experience. In the case of the UW spring student-athletes to which the NCAA’s waiver would apply, a substantial percentage of the student-athletes are scheduled to earn their degrees before next spring. In spite of today’s uncertainties, we will do everything possible to support our student-athletes as they work toward those degrees.
In regard to athletic competition, we will continue to follow the guidance of medical professionals. We are all in a rapidly changing environment that makes decision-making challenging. We will continue to keep the health and safety of our student-athletes, staff and fans at the forefront of our decision-making.
The athletic department has made the decision to not pursue waivers that would extend the eligibility of our senior student-athletes. Student-athletes in their fourth year of eligibility have concluded their careers with us.
This group of student-athletes has our full support up to, including and beyond graduation. They are Badgers for life and we are greatly appreciative of the way they have represented our department and the university.”
According to a university spokesman, the impacted athletes have already been granted the waiver and it allows the them to transfer and use the extra of eligibility at another institution.
