Staff – NJCAA and NAIA are not charging a season of eligibility for any student-athlete regardless of participation in the spring 2020 season.

The NJCAA, NCAA (DI, DII, DIII) and NAIA are viewing the spring 2020 sport seasons the same, as student-athletes are not being charged with a season of participation for the spring 2020 sport season. The NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA agreed that communication among campuses will be important as spring 2020 student-athletes are properly informed and make decisions related to actions influenced by COVID-19. 

The NJCAA also made it clear that “no spring sport student-athlete who was enrolled at a member college in 2020 will be charged a year of participation. The NAIA will award full-time student-athletes two additional semesters, or the equivalent.

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NCAA

All NCAA Division I student-athletes who lost their spring seasons because of the coronavirus pandemic will have the option of a do-over.

The D-I Council — with 41 members including athletic directors, conference commissioners, administrators and two student-athletes —voted heavily in favor of the measure to offer a blanket waiver for all competitors into the spring of 2021. A key component allows each school to choose how much aid it gives to each returning athlete who would have exhausted their eligibility. A program can match what it provided this season, offer less money or offer none.

The NCAA allows a total of 11.7 scholarships per team in Division I baseball, and it’s required they be divided among 27 players. Eight walk-ons are permitted, taking the roster maximum to 35. Baseball is the only spring sport with a roster limit.

Seniors who choose to return in 2021 will be allowed to have the same scholarship amount they had this year, less or none at all. Returning seniors’ scholarships won’t count against the 11.7 limit.

The Council did agree to adjust scholarship limits to account for incoming athletes and athletes who decide to stay for an extra season. Under that arrangement, schools will be able to exceed existing scholarship limits if they give financial aid to any athlete who would have been in their final season of eligibility this year but chooses to return.

Baseball, which has a 35-man roster limit, will be accommodated with an increased roster size based on how many seniors come back. It is the only spring sport with a player limit.

Read More Here.