NCAA adjusts waiver guidelines for transfers seeking immediate eligibility
The NCAA is cracking down on granting immediate eligibility to transfers.
By News Channel Nebraska
LINCOLN — The NCAA is cracking down on granting immediate eligibility to transfers.
The Division I Council proposed changes Wednesday to four ways many schools have gotten transfers able to play immediately, including:
» When a player determines they no longer have an opportunity to play on their previous team.
» When a transfer claims “he or she was a victim of egregious behavior impacting his or her health, safety or well-being.”
» When a player wants to transfer because of a recent injury or illness of an immediate family member.
» When the transfer wants to be closer to home or their support system because of their own injury or illness.
In those four cases, the NCAA wants more information from athletic directors and medical professionals.
For players who believe they no longer have an opportunity to play, under the proposed NCAA changes, the new school must now provide a statement from the previous school’s athletic director determining if the student could’ve returned to the team.
With students claiming “egregious behavior,” the athletic director of the previous school must also confirm the reasons the student-athlete gave to them why he or she is transferring and provide proof the student-athlete is in good academic standing.
In the cases involving a sick family member, the NCAA will now require “medical documentation from the treating physician to show how the family member is debilitated, and an explanation of the student-athlete’s role in providing care.” Previously, the only thing required was a note from a family member.
For players who want to be closer to home for their own injury or illness, they’ll also need to provide medical documentation from the student-athlete’s doctor to prove their injury and to show they were receiving treatment from that doctor before the transfer.
The Nebraska basketball program is now heavily involved with transfers, including eight new additions on Fred Hoiberg’s first roster. The basketball program is in the process of trying to get Nevada transfer Shamiel Stevenson eligible for next season.
You can read the full list of proposed changes here.