On Thursday afternoon, the NCAA announced the cancellation of not just March Madness, but all winter and spring NCAA championship eventscdue to the coronavirus outbreak.
The women’s golf NCAA Championship was slated for May 22-27, with the men the following week May 29-June 3 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The news sent shockwaves through the college golf world, with many coaches and players questioning the move to cancel events months in advance when so much uncertainty remains.
Golfweek obtained a memo sent Friday morning from the NCAA to all member schools. The memo directed members of Divisions I, II and III to “enact modifications, changes, or waivers to legislation and rules where appropriate to provide necessary relief due to regulations and policies impacted by COVID-19.”
The Division I Council Coordination Committee put the following actions into place:
- The committee adopted emergency legislation that established a temporary recruiting dead period, effective immediately until at least April 15, when the committee will re-evaluate the situation.
- The committee “agreed that it will be appropriate to grant relief for the use of a season of competition for student-athletes who have participated in spring sports. The committee recognizes that several issues need to be addressed related to providing an additional season of competition, including financial aid implications. The committee will also discuss issues related to seasons of competition for winter sport student-athletes who were unable to participate in conference and NCAA championships.”
- Lastly, the memo urged conferences and schools to use “institutional discretion” when it comes to providing support, benefits and expenses to their student-athletes at this time.
While the details for the extra year of eligibility have not been finalized yet, the committee realizes the weight of their decision and plans to act in “a timely manner.”
Long story short: all you seniors might have a few more rounds to play after all.
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