Page 216 - (FINAL!) UPDATED 13.0) 2020-2021 HANDBOOK - SEPTEMBER 2020 EDITION_Neat

Case 9
Spring Sport Student-Athlete Graduated Spring 2020
SITUATION:
A spring sport student-athlete that has never participated in intercollegiate athletics decides to participate in the spring 2021 season. The student
was a full-time student in the spring 2020 term and graduated at the end of the spring 2020 academic term. What does this student need to
participate in the 2020-2021 season?

ANSWER:
This student may participate in the spring 2021 NJCAA sports season while enrolled in a minimum of six (6) credit hours. All six (6) credit hours
must begin before the end of the published regular season schedule of the student-athletes chosen sport. The institution must document that the
student-athlete has completed all degree requirements, as determined by the institution. This one-time allowance is ONLY for students who were
enrolled full-time at a college or university in the spring 2020. Student-athletes must not have previously competed in two or more seasons of the
desired sport.

SECOND SEASON STUDENT-ATHLETE SCENARIOS

Case 1
nd
Fall Sport Student-Athlete Not Enrolled Full-Time in Spring 2020 - 2 Season
SITUATION:
A fall sport student-athlete that was a first season participant in the fall 2019 season, earned 14 total credits, but did not attend classes in the
spring of 2020. Does this now second season student-athlete need to have an accumulation of 18 or 24 credit hours with a 2.0 GPA to be
academically eligible for the fall 2020 season?

ANSWER:
This student-athlete must meet the standard eligibility requirements for a second season student-athlete and have an accumulation of 24 credits
with a 2.0 GPA or higher in addition to meeting one of the first season requirements of Article V, Section 2.D.2. Because the student-athlete was
not full-time during the spring 2020 term does not come in to play in second-season athlete scenarios as the second season requirement of 24
credits with a 2.0 GPA applies regardless of enrollment in the spring 2021 academic term.

Case 2
Fall Student-Athlete Unable to Complete Spring Academic Term
SITUATION:
A first season fall sport student-athlete in their first full-time term during the fall 2019 academic term passes 12 hours with a 1.75 GPA. Due to the
pandemic and lack of a computer the student-athlete cannot take and pass any more hours. Will the student-athlete be eligible for the fall 2020
season without more hours as a second season participant?

ANSWER:
At a minimum, the student-athlete will need to have accumulated 24 credits hours with a GPA of 2.0 or better since they are a second season
athlete. In addition, if the student-athlete was enrolled full-time in spring 2020 beyond the 18th calendar day of the term they qualify to use the
COVID-19 academic exceptions to meet the requirements of Article V, Section 2.D.2. If they were not enrolled full-time in the spring 2020 term,
they will need to have an accumulation of 24 credit hours with a 2.0 GPA.

Case 3
Fall Student-Athlete Takes Summer School Courses
SITUATION:
A first season fall sport student-athlete in their first full-time term during the fall 2019 academic term passes 12 credit hours with a 1.75
GPA. They do not enroll in the spring 2020 academic term and they pass six (6) credits during the summer to give them 18 credit hours with a
1.75 GPA. Are they academically eligible as a second season athlete for the fall 2020 season?

ANSWER:
No, the student-athlete must have an accumulation of 24 credits with a 2.0 GPA. The student-athlete meets one of the first season requirements
but does not meet the second season requirement. This student-athlete meets one of the required first season academic requirements (One
Previous Term of Full-Time College Enrollment - Article V, Section 2.D.2.b), but they do not meet the second season academic requirement so
they are not eligible for the fall 2020 season.

Case 4
Spring 2021 Academic Eligibility – Three Previous Full-Time Terms Attempted
SITUATION:
A first-year basketball participant passes 18 credits in two full-time semesters with a 2.0 GPA during the 2019-2020 academic year. The student-
athlete enrolls in and completes 12 credit hours in the fall 2020 academic term with a 2.0 GPA. Going into the spring NJCAA athletic season, they
have attempted three full-time college academic terms since high school graduation. Are they eligible going into their fourth full-time term if they
enroll in 12 credits for the spring 2021 academic term?

ANSWER:
Yes, the student passed 12 or more credits in the previous full-time term with a GPA of 2.0 or better
(Article V, Section 2.D.2.c) as well as having accumulated more than 24 credits with an associated GPA of 2.0 or better to meet the second
season participation requirement (Article V, Section 2.D.3).

Case 5
Spring 2021 Academic Eligibility – Three Previous Full-Time Terms
SITUATION:
A student-athlete graduates high school in the spring of 2019. They enrolled full-time in college for both the fall 2019 and spring 2020 academic
terms. They participate in basketball and pass 21 credits with a 2.0 GPA (12 credits in the fall and 9 credits in the spring). During the fall 2020
term they enrolled full-time and upon completion of this term they pass nine (9) credits with a 3.0 GPA. This student-athlete has now completed
three full-time terms. Do they need to have an accumulation of 36 (3 full time terms x 12) or 30 (12 fall 2019 + 6 spring 2020 + 12 fall 2020 = 30)
credit hours with a 2.0 GPA to be academically eligible during the spring 2021 portion of the season?

ANSWER: