NJCAA Student-Athletes granted an additional year of eligibility for 2020-2021

 

File Photo / ICC Athletics

East Peoria, Ill. - As we await the start of competition for athletes within the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), the organization came out with some big news on Thursday afternoon. 

Per a release from the NJCAA, their Board of Regents voted that "all 2020-21 NJCAA sport seasons will not count towards student-athlete eligibility". 

The organization's move to allow such breathing room for current student-athletes at institutions like Illinois Central College follows similar moves at the NCAA level. 

In the release, NJCAA President & CEO Dr. Christopher Parker feels this decision was made while keeping the student-athlete in the forefront.

"The Board of Regents feels this decision is best for the success and well-being of our student-athletes and member colleges at this time," Parker said.

Troy Tucker is the chair of the NJCAA's Eligibility Committee. He says that it wasn't the easiest of decisions, but did say that the uniqueness of the time we're in warranted such a move.

"The uncertainty surrounding the pandemic has put collegiate sports in a very challenging situation. Today's decision by the Board of Regents to grant a blanket year of participation waiver provides our institutions and student-athletes with the ability to choose to participate this academic year without the fear of using a year of eligibility for a potentially shortened or interrupted season," Tucker said.

The release addressed an obvious issue within this announcement, and that being how incoming junior college student-athletes are affected by this. It says that the eligibility committee is still working on the "participation requirements" for the next academic year of 2021-22 and will reconvene with the NJCAA Board of Regents later on. 

Illinois Central College Athletics was reached for comment. It has been a very short span of time between the writing of this article and the reaching for comment. Said comment, if provided, will be added to this story when the time comes. 

Alex Staab can be reached by following him on Twitter (@StaabAlex). Alex is the play-by-play broadcaster for the Women's Basketball program, while also serving as Public Address Announcer for the women's volleyball program.

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