Seasons of Competition

2020-2021 SEASONS OF COMPETITION EXCEPTIONS

Q: We had a women’s soccer player in her home country who is unable to return to the United States in the fall 2020 term. She would like to compete in a local soccer league to maintain her conditioning. Will she be charged a season of competition for outside competitive experience for the 2020-2021 academic year? (Added 8/12/2020)

A: Current and prospective student-athletes will not be charged a season of competition for non-intercollegiate play in any sport from May 16, 2020 – May 15, 2021.

Q: What if the athlete competes in a few intercollegiate games during the Fall 2020 term, but has to stop competing and quarantine because their roommate got COVID? (Updated 11/4/2020)

A: The Council of Presidents understands that there may be many reasons that an athlete will be forced to stop and start their athletic season that is outside of their control. Therefore, as an exception for the 2020-21 year, fall and winter sport athletes will not be charged a season of competition; even if they compete in a post season event (conference, NAIA, NCCAA, or other approved post season event).

Spring sport athletes will only be charged a season of competition when the student participates in more than 50% of the maximum allowable number of intercollegiate contest in any sport, or the student competes in NAIA-approved postseason.

2019-2020 SEASONS OF COMPETITION EXCEPTIONS

Q: How are non-intercollegiate seasons of competition (e.g. outside competition) implicated with the waiver of the spring 2020 season? (Updated 4/3/2020)

A: By extension, the National Eligibility Committee has determined that no non-intercollegiate seasons of competition for spring sports will be charged from May 16, 2019 to May 15, 2020. This is in recognition of the fact that many students may have played in non-intercollegiate competition during the summer or fall of 2019 expecting for that play to be grouped into the same season of competition as the Spring 2020 collegiate season. Waiving the intercollegiate season but still charging for the outside play would prevent the students from being able to take advantage of the waived Spring 2020 season.

This applies to all student-athletes for any spring sport during the time period of May 16, 2019 – May 15, 2020, regardless of whether the student was identified with an NAIA institution at the time of competition or in the Spring of 2020.

Q: An NCAA softball player would like to transfer to our NAIA school. How will these exceptions impact this student?

A: The NAIA honors seasons as charged by other athletic associations. See the following table for guidance.

	Spring 2020 sports	Fall 2020 sports	Winter 2020-21 sports	Spring 2021 sports
NAIA	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED	SOC CHARGED IF participate in more than 50% OR competes in NAIA approved post-season
NCAA D1	COVID-19 WAIVER (institution must confirm)	COVID-19 WAIVER (institution must confirm)	COVID-19 WAIVER (institution must confirm)	COVID-19 WAIVER (institution must confirm)
NCAA D2	COVID-19 WAIVER (institution must confirm)	COVID-19 WAIVER (institution must confirm)	COVID-19 WAIVER (institution must confirm)	COVID-19 WAIVER (institution must confirm)
NCAA D3	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED
NJCAA	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED
CCCAA	COVID-19 WAIVER (institution must confirm)	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED
NWAC	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED
USCAA	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED
NCCAA	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED	NO SOC CHARGED

Seasons of Competition

2020-2021 SEASONS OF COMPETITION EXCEPTIONS

2019-2020 SEASONS OF COMPETITION EXCEPTIONS

Resources

Sport Rule Modifications

FAQs

COVID-19 News Archive