MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The NCAA recently granted an extra year of eligibility for spring student athletes after their seasons were cancelled due to COVID-19.
The move was welcomed across college athletics, but creates a number of new challenges. Most spring student athletes are not on full or even half scholarships, so the financials of playing an additional year may not make fiscal sense for some. Academics could also prevent a hurdle for graduating true seniors who did not plan to attend graduate school.
The ruling provides eligibility and extra roster space, but did not allocate any funding for universities to cover the additional scholarship dollars.
Local 24 sports reporter Clayton Collier spoke with University of Memphis head baseball coach Daron Schoenrock about the challenges this unique change presents to his program.