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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III student-athletes will not be charged with participation for the 2020-21 season if their team can complete only 50% or less of the sport’s maximum contests/dates of competition due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Division III Administrative Committee approved a recommendation from the Division III Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement to provide a blanket waiver in all sports that are unable to reach the 50% threshold, providing student-athletes with the option of extending their participation.

The committee noted that schools may be forced to shorten athletics seasons due to health and safety concerns, as well as related administrative concerns. Amending the criteria for a season-of-participation waiver would ensure student-athletes have four meaningful seasons of participation opportunities. The proactive blanket waiver allows student-athletes to make informed enrollment decisions prior to the academic year.

Student-athletes whose teams complete more than 50% of the sport’s maximum contests/dates of competition during the 2020-21 season would not be eligible for the blanket waiver, regardless of whether the student-athlete competed in 50% or less of the season.  However, individual waiver requests could be pursued on a case-by case basis.

The committee also approved a second recommendation from the Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement to approve a blanket waiver permitting student-athletes to receive a two-semester/three-quarter extension of eligibility if the following conditions are met:

  • The student-athlete was unable to participate in their sport during the 2020-21 academic year due to the impact of COVID-19, or the student-athlete’s teams completed 50% or less of the sport’s maximum contests/dates of competition during the 2020-21 season due to COVID-19.
  • The student-athlete was otherwise eligible for competition during the 2020-21 academic year.

By approving a two-semester/three-quarter extension, schools no longer would need to file an additional extension of eligibility waiver if a student-athlete seeks to maintain full-time enrollment.

Both blanket waivers will apply to all sports during the 2020-21 academic year.

Release courtesy National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)

Collegiate Water Polo Association