NCAA grants extra season of eligibility for fall athletes

This past March, the NCAA granted an extra season of eligibility to spring-sport student-athletes amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Friday afternoon, a similar decision was made regarding student-athletes this fall.

The NCAA Board of Directors has officially approved a blanket waiver saying that all fall-sport student-athletes—no matter if they compete in any capacity this fall or coming spring—can keep their year of eligibility.

The Athletic's Nicole Auerbach also reported that another waiver has also been approved saying student-athletes who would be in their final seasons of eligibility this fall would not count against scholarship limits next season.

Regarding financial aid, Auerbach called it "a similar model to what happened with spring-sport athletes"—athletes can use this extra year of eligibility, but schools would not have to match the aid that the student-athletes are receiving this year. The NCAA's official release did say that the financial aid of senior fall-sport student-athletes would not count against team limits.

The release also stated that it will work toward holding fall-sport championships, which the NCAA canceled last week, in the spring, adding that championships in the spring will happen "only if they can be conducted safely and in accordance with federal, state and local health guidelines" and that "the priority remains preserving opportunities for winter and spring-sport student-athletes who did not have the chance to participate in NCAA championships in 2019-20."

Editor's Note: This is a developing story. Check back for more updates.