After the NCAA canceled all athletic events for the remaining academic year on Friday, March 13, the organization is now in the process of making several impactful decisions in response to the cancellations, including the restriction of recruiting visits and whether current student-athletes should receive an extra year of athletic eligibility.
On Wednesday, March 18, the NCAA released a statement that announced its initial plans for Division I athletics. The NCAA Council Coordination Committee agreed that eligibility relief would be appropriate for spring athletes, but has not made an official decision yet.
The council will hold a final vote on the matter of eligibility on Monday, March 30, and will discuss relief for both spring and winter sports.
The committee also announced to place a temporary ban on all in-person recruiting, which impacts coaches from fall, winter and spring sports.
On Friday, March 20, the committee issued another series of rulings for Division I athletics, allowing schools to reimburse student-athletes and recruiting prospects for any canceled travel plans, according to NCAA.com.
The Kennesaw State Athletic Department released a statement of its own on Friday, March 20.
“While we are heartbroken that our student-athletes won’t complete their competition season in the sport they love, the action to suspend athletic activities supports our first priority, which is their health and wellbeing,” KSU Director of Athletics Milton Overton said. “We stand united as teammates in battle to regain normalcy soon.”
In addition to athletes from spring and winter sports, two former members of the KSU football team have also been directly impacted by pandemic-related cancellations. The players are now unable to meet with scouts as they prepare for the 2020 NFL Draft in April.
Running back Bronson Rechsteiner and defensive lineman Desmond Johnson both planned to meet with NFL teams ahead of the draft.
On Friday, March 13, the NFL instructed teams to put a stop to all pre-draft visits, according to NFL.com. The league set new guidelines for video or telephone conferences between prospects and scouts, in which teams can arrange no more than three conferences per week with a player and conferences cannot exceed one hour in length.
After KSU’s Pro Day workout on Wednesday, March 11, Johnson stated that he plans to meet with the Atlanta Falcons and multiple teams from the Canadian Football League. Also after the workout, Rechsteiner said that he has spoken to the Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars.
As the NCAA and the NFL continue to make adjustments in wake of recent cancellations, athletes from KSU and colleges nationwide will remain hopeful about the future of their athletic careers.
“As our student-athletes transition home, I am inspired by their stories of strength to assist their loved ones and friends in need,” Overton said. “Our student-athletes are leaders on campus, and I have no doubt they will continue to be leaders in their communities back home.”
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