The NCAA Division I Council voted Monday to grant a blanket waiver for spring athletes whose seasons were cut short due to COVID-19, extending their eligibility and allowing for an additional season of competition.

The decision applies to all athletes, not just seniors. The council also adjusted financial aid rules to allow teams to carry more members on scholarship to account for incoming recruits as well as athletes who had been in their last year of eligibility who decide to stay.

NCAA rules currently limit scholarships to 12.6 for men’s lacrosse teams and 12 for women’s lacrosse teams. A news post on NCAA.org did not say to what extent the limits would be raised for various sports. The council also voted to allow schools to bring back scholarship athletes who had exhausted their eligibility without providing the same level of aid, a nod to the financial difficulties colleges are experiencing in relation to the coronavirus crisis.

Schools also will have the ability to use the NCAA’s Student Assistance Fund to pay for scholarships for students who take advantage of the additional eligibility flexibility in 2020-21.

“The Council’s decision gives individual schools the flexibility to make decisions at a campus level,” said Penn athletic director M. Grace Calhoun, chair of the NCAA Division I Council. “The Board of Governors encouraged conferences and schools to take action in the best interest of student-athletes and their communities, and now schools have the opportunity to do that.”

Winter sports were not included in the decision. 

This is a developing story, and US Lacrosse Magazine will provide updates as necessary. You can read the original post below.

UPDATE: Monday, March 30
7:00 p.m.

The NCAA Division I Council has officially announced the ruling.

DI Council grants waiver to allow additional eligibility for spring sport athletes whose seasons were impacted by COVID-19: https://t.co/aC03MEa5UQ pic.twitter.com/XeVaxI85Ib

— Inside the NCAA (@InsidetheNCAA) March 30, 2020

ORIGINAL STORY

The NCAA Division I Council has officially reached a decision regarding eligibility for spring student-athletes who had their seasons cut short due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The NCAA has decided to award said athletes an additional year of eligibility. This after the NCAA unofficially deemed it “appropriate” to do so on March 13.

Source tells @TheAthleticCFB that the NCAA Division I Council has approved blanket waiver for all spring-sport athletes to get an extra year of eligibility. Schools will be able to offer less (or zero) aid or match what they provided this year. Up to each school for each athlete.

— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) March 30, 2020

The Athletic's Nicole Auerbach was also one of the first to break the news of the unofficial stance of the NCAA.

The NCAA Division I Council is comprised of athletics directors, athletics administrators, senior women administrators, faculty athletics representatives and student-athletes.

What is the DI Council?

The DI Council is made up of athletics directors, athletics administrators, senior women administrators, faculty athletics representatives and student-athletes. This group is responsible for the day-to-day decision-making for DI: https://t.co/EAr4H112Oy pic.twitter.com/eBYBtBPHio

— Inside the NCAA (@InsidetheNCAA) March 30, 2020