NCAA Eligibility Center makes significant updates in response to COVID19

The NCAA announced on Friday another major step for high school seniors working toward gaining athletic eligibility under these unique circumstances that has moved classwork to distance learning for the foreseeable future.

Earlier this month the organization announced a move that it would not require a separate review of distance or e-learning programs utilized by schools with NCAA-approved core courses’ due to school closures.

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Friday’s announcement is an important step regarding Division I or II prospective athletes looking to cross the finish line with the Eligibility Center and get final certification.

“The Eligibility Center is navigating the complexity of COVID-19 and its negative impact on our membership, high schools and student-athletes,” said Felicia Martin, vice president of the NCAA Eligibility Center in a release. “We understand this is an unprecedented situation and a difficult time for students and their parents, and the Eligibility Center is working diligently to ensure the best possible outcome for college-bound student-athletes and our member schools.”

These moves do change the coursework requirements that all Division I athletes are required meet with completing 16 core courses, 10 having to be completed by the start of their senior year, seven needing to be in the fields of English, math and science.

Students will still need to achieve a GPA of 2.3 in core coursework, but some relief is on the way under these extraordinary circumstances.

Many schools have moved from assigning letter-grades during these times to a pass/fail system for distance or e-learning work. The problem with that is traditionally the NCAA would assign the lowest passing grade mark, a D, for a passing grade. That would be associated a 1.0 mark tied to those credit hours, well below the 2.3 GPA that Division I athletes need to achieve (2.2 in Division II).

Under this new move, a passing grade in pass/fail courses will now carry a 2.3 GPA in these core courses. This is something that will not only affect the graduating class of 2020 but will also be in place for underclassmen of 2021, 2022 and 2023. Their pass/fail classes will also carry a 2.3 in regard to getting through the NCAA Eligibility Center moving forward.

The second move will be something that only pertains to members of the graduating class of 2020 and has to deal with SAT/ACT testing.

Not only do Division I athletes need to carry a 2.3 GPA through their core classes but there is also a sliding scale when it comes to the SAT/ACT tests. A minimum score must be achieved on one of the two tests that will require a higher score in conjunction with a lower GPA and vice versa.

With the bans on groups, the closing of physical schools and the like, the ability to go out and take the tests (either for a first time or to improve upon a score) is not there and the NCAA Eligibility Center has taken notice.

So, under these new guidelines for the class of 2020, as long as a student athlete completes their 10/7 requirement (10 core courses completed by start of senior year/7 in English, math, science), a student athlete without a SAT/ACT score or a qualifying score will be labeled as a non-qualifier but will also be given a COVID-19 Automatic Approval to achieve certification.

That will allow the student to become immediately eligible “to receive athletics aid, practice and compete.”

This will be extended to all members of the graduating class of 2020, regardless of regular or delayed enrollment (grayshirts).

Accounts that have gone through a preliminary certification should see updates in place at/around May 1st.

“We are keenly aware of the educational disruptions and academic uncertainty that prospective student-athletes are experiencing,” Martin said. “To that end, the Eligibility Center is committed to providing support and flexibility in application of initial-eligibility requirements as we remain nimble for additional issues we can’t predict or forecast.”

For more information on this process and the COVID-19 response from the Eligibility Center, please visit on.ncaa/com/EC-COVID.