OPPORTUNITY

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OPTION #3 Three years of participation & graduation at a two-year college level with two years of eligibility remaining at the four-year division one level For the non-qualifying student /athlete who comes from a very challenging or dysfunctional academic background and needs extensive remediation (18 hours or more), there would be a three year option. Some student/athletes, because of extensive remediation needs, may not be able to take English 1101 or college math, which are many times prerequisites for a number of other core classes, until late in their second year. In this case they may not be able to complete all the forty- eight (48) hours of transferable core classes in two years. These student/athletes would not be penalized for going through the necessary steps to recover from their academic handicaps. They would be rewarded for doing so by allowing them to stay at the two-year college and participate for a third year, then graduate and transfer to a four-year division one school with two (2) years of eligibility to participate. This would require the NJCAA to make a rule change regarding the third year of eligibility, but since it would not affect their total scholarship numbers or their costs it shouldnt be a major problem. In fact the NJCAA and the California Community College Athletic Association is already discussing this option. This student/athlete would, however, have to graduate from the two-year college and would lose the medical red shirt year option at the division one level. The student/athlete would have to maintain all the NJCAA eligibility and/or governing body rules. He/she would transfer into the four-year division one university at the 40% graduation level with respect to APR. The student/athlete could use online courses from SACS approved institutions for all the additional non-core non-transferable hours if it met the graduation requirements from the two-year college. This option will be particularly important in 2016 when the proposed division two academic rules change and become the same as division one. Student/athletes who are unable to complete all the necessary requirements to move on after two years then will have no options remaining other than NAIA schools and there are very few of them left in the country. These student/athlete would be older, more mature, and better fundamentally prepared both academically and athletically just like the fouryear student/athlete who red-shirts during his/her career. Four-year college coaches would still recruit these student/athletes with two years of eligibility remaining. NOTE: A two-year college would not be required to offer a third year to a student/athlete. A third year player would count against the total scholarship numbers and two-year colleges awarding athletic scholarships would have to scholarship any third year player. Third year players at two-year colleges that give scholarships could not be walk-ons. This rule would address any competitive advantage arguments.