NCAA grants spring student-athletes extra eligibility. What about basketball players?

The NCAA will give student-athletes in spring sports an extra year of eligibility and is discussing doing the same for winter student-athletes, including basketball players, according to the NCAA and media reports.

The NCAA made the unprecedented decision Thursday to cancel winter and spring championships due to the coronavirus pandemic. The move prompted student-athletes and coaches to push for seniors to receive an extra year of eligibility.

In an announcement Friday afternoon, the NCAA Division 1 Council Coordination Committee said it agrees that giving spring student-athletes eligibility relief is “appropriate.”

“Details of eligibility relief will be finalized at a later time,” the NCAA stated. “Additional issues with NCAA rules must be addressed, and appropriate governance bodies will work through those in the coming days and weeks.”

The committee will also discuss granting an extra year of eligibility for winter student-athletes, including basketball players, Jeff Goodman from Stadium reported. The news was also confirmed by The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach.

The cancellations came just days before the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, abruptly cutting the season short for seniors.

University of Iowa track and field hammer thrower Allison Wahrman created a petition to grant NCAA athletes an extra year. The petition received nearly 150,000 signatures In less than 24 hours.

Wahrman wrote on her Change.org petition that “having a year of eligibility taken away from these dedicated athletes is simply not right.”

Many coaches and administrators throughout the country agree.

UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma said the NCAA should “take unprecedented measures.”

“You can’t say this year never happened, and wipe away everything,” he said on ESPN. “Because some teams had amazing seasons, incredible accomplishments, they should not be diminished, and shouldn’t be wiped away.”

Western Kentucky University men’s basketball coach Rick Stansbury also said seniors should receive a “blanket waiver,” according to the Bowling Green Daily News.

“Those seniors who want to come back, let them come back and set up that opportunity,” he said. “If they want to leave and get a job, let them leave and get a job. If they want to leave and start playing professionally, let them do that. But don’t take an opportunity away from them that they could’ve had.”

Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel and Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione were among the administrators who said adding another year of eligibility should be considered.

This story was originally published March 13, 2020 at 1:54 PM with the headline "NCAA grants spring student-athletes extra eligibility. What about basketball players?."