NC State senior Coleman Stewart has asked the NCAA for clarification regarding information about a potential fifth year of eligibility after he missed out on swimming at his final NCAA Championships. Stewart, like many winter sports seniors, will not be able to compete at his final collegiate championships after all of the winter championships were cancelled by the NCAA because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The NCAA has stated that they will allow an extra year of eligibility to all spring sports athletes who had the majority of their seasons cancelled because of the pandemic. However, no official word has been made regarding the status of winter sport athletes who missed out on their respective national championships.
Stewart’s statement is below:
https://twitter.com/cstew180/status/1241168645537042432
According to a tweet from Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, the NCAA is unlikely to grant an extra year of eligibility to seniors who participate in winter sports and had their seasons cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, no official statement has been released.
Coleman Stewart was seeded first in the 100 backstroke, third in the 200 back and fourth in the 100 butterfly at this year’s NCAAs, which were supposed to be next week in Indianapolis. He was the 2018 champ in the 100 back as a sophomore but was second in that event as well as the 100 fly and was looking to close out his college career on a high note before starting a pro career. It is still uncertain if he will have a chance to compete in a fifth year or if he should pursue a professional career in the ISL.
There are still a lot of uncertainties regarding the coronavirus outbreak, including if this summer’s Olympic Games will still be on for a July 24 date or if they will be postponed to 2021. Many athletes around the world, who have lost out on valuable training time during this pandemic, are urging the International Olympic Committee to push the Games to 2021 so they are not rushed to try and find a safe location to train.
There has not been a lot of communication between the powers that be and the athletes regarding the future of their careers, and many athletes including Coleman Stewart, are using their voices to try and make a difference for athletes everywhere who have been affected by cancellations and closings around the world.
I wonder how only spring sports are getting an extra year of eligibility when many of them also Patti part and compete in their same said sport in the Fall. Baseball and Softball both have Fall “seasons” yet unquestionably are granted an extra year. Having a senior impacted by this decision as well, I would agree that those who had qualified for the NCAA Championship meet should be granted an extra year. If not, then give them an answer so they can move on with their professional lives