Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Spring sports react to added year of eligibility
4/17/2020 5:00:00 PM | General
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Spring sports coaches at Middle Tennessee were pleased with the NCAA Division I Council's decision to grant an extra year of eligibility to all student-athletes in spring sports whose seasons were canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The decision also allows schools to expand rosters beyond the current scholarship limits to accommodate incoming recruits and upperclassmen who were expected not to return. Additionally, seniors will not count toward the roster limit.
The ruling also gives schools the flexibility to award the same or less financial aid to seniors as they were receiving this year. The roster limit for baseball also will be expanded. Baseball is the only spring sport with a roster limit.
"I'm happy for the guys to get a year back," said Blue Raider baseball coach Jim Toman. "I like for our guys to have the opportunity for another year and they deserve that. The main thing right now is making sure my guys are safe, healthy and taking care of their business."
Walker Armstrong, Sheldon Paulk and David Zoz are the only three seniors on the baseball roster. Toman anticipates Armstrong and Zoz returning but said Paulk will likely graduate and opt not to return as he is getting married and beginning his career.
Toman said he will try to keep Armstrong and Zoz receiving the same scholarship amount as in 2020.
Things will become more interesting in 2022 as baseball has a large junior class. Additionally, Toman said he will have the equivalent of two freshman classes in the fall of 2020.
"There will be a backlog of a lot of scholarships and that will make it very difficult to get to 11.7 scholarships or 27 slots down the road," Toman said. "We have a big group of juniors and we expected some of them to be drafted or graduate in 2021, but now they have another year. It will be a very big class and it will affect the 2022 class the most. You are talking about potentially having two freshman classes this fall – the ones returning and the ones coming in. We will have to work through that."
Jimmy Borendame is coach of the defending Conference USA men's tennis champions and has a good blend of veterans and underclassmen. He was ecstatic with the ruling allowing players to receive an additional year.
"I could not imagine my college experience with an ending like in 2020," Borendame said. "This is a great opportunity that each MTSU men's tennis player has been given by the NCAA. I can't even imagine the possibility. I would have given my left arm for another year to stay in college and compete in college tennis."
Because of the NCAA decision, Borendame believes springs sports across the board should be strong next season.
"Spring sports in general should just be at a very high level and very competitive," Borendame said. "Teams across the country will have added experience and a higher competitive level for the Spring 2021 season."
Because players have been granted an additional year and seniors will not count toward the scholarship limit many programs nationally could go beyond the usual scholarship limit in all spring sports. At the same time; however, that doesn't mean all schools will have the revenue to provide the financial aid.
"The question becomes where does the athletic department find the extra scholarship dollars," Middle Tennessee softball head coach Jeff Breeden said. "It could mean as much as $400,000 to the department for all seniors in all spring sports. This will become a four-year problem of roster sizes and scholarship dollars."
Breeden believes there is no immediate solution to the dilemma.
"Time will tell how this plays out," Breeden said. "We need to do our best to treat everyone as fairly as possible with the best interest of the program as the bottom line. On the surface this looks like easy and happy decisions but it is a real complicated issue in which some hard decisions will have to be made. Decisions will have to be made for the best interest of the program, not the best interest of an individual, but I feel like this was the right thing to do for the players."
Tanner Owens is the only senior on the men's golf roster and coach Mark McEntire anticipates his return for another year.
"I am in the process of talking with him and seeing what he wants to do," McEntire said.
Like others with larger rosters in the junior class, McEntire said the NCAA decision impacts the 2021 class most.
"For next year on paper we will have nine freshmen so that will mean we will redshirt some and delay a recruiting class," McEntire said. "The high school seniors are who I feel the worst for. Seniors in high school are not getting to have graduation or prom for their senior seasons. It is a big deal. Also, with seniors coming back, we will most likely end up redshirting some. Short term it is not what they wanted, but long term it could be really good for us."
Women's golf coach Chris Adams will not see her program impacted greatly either way immediately as she had no seniors. With one player coming into the program in the fall, Adams' roster will feature eight players.
"It will impact us in the future with the underclassmen coming back with loads of experience," Adams said. "I am pleased with the decision as you hate to see players not get the chance of finishing the season. It will give them a chance to compete an extra year if all parties agree and the situation is good for all impacted."
Most all spring sports are not able to reward full scholarships due to the scholarship limits compared to roster sizes. As such, upperclassmen and their families will have to decide if an additional year of eligibility is worth it from a financial standpoint.
The decision also allows schools to expand rosters beyond the current scholarship limits to accommodate incoming recruits and upperclassmen who were expected not to return. Additionally, seniors will not count toward the roster limit.
The ruling also gives schools the flexibility to award the same or less financial aid to seniors as they were receiving this year. The roster limit for baseball also will be expanded. Baseball is the only spring sport with a roster limit.
"I'm happy for the guys to get a year back," said Blue Raider baseball coach Jim Toman. "I like for our guys to have the opportunity for another year and they deserve that. The main thing right now is making sure my guys are safe, healthy and taking care of their business."
Walker Armstrong, Sheldon Paulk and David Zoz are the only three seniors on the baseball roster. Toman anticipates Armstrong and Zoz returning but said Paulk will likely graduate and opt not to return as he is getting married and beginning his career.
Toman said he will try to keep Armstrong and Zoz receiving the same scholarship amount as in 2020.
Things will become more interesting in 2022 as baseball has a large junior class. Additionally, Toman said he will have the equivalent of two freshman classes in the fall of 2020.
"There will be a backlog of a lot of scholarships and that will make it very difficult to get to 11.7 scholarships or 27 slots down the road," Toman said. "We have a big group of juniors and we expected some of them to be drafted or graduate in 2021, but now they have another year. It will be a very big class and it will affect the 2022 class the most. You are talking about potentially having two freshman classes this fall – the ones returning and the ones coming in. We will have to work through that."
Jimmy Borendame is coach of the defending Conference USA men's tennis champions and has a good blend of veterans and underclassmen. He was ecstatic with the ruling allowing players to receive an additional year.
"I could not imagine my college experience with an ending like in 2020," Borendame said. "This is a great opportunity that each MTSU men's tennis player has been given by the NCAA. I can't even imagine the possibility. I would have given my left arm for another year to stay in college and compete in college tennis."
Because of the NCAA decision, Borendame believes springs sports across the board should be strong next season.
"Spring sports in general should just be at a very high level and very competitive," Borendame said. "Teams across the country will have added experience and a higher competitive level for the Spring 2021 season."
Because players have been granted an additional year and seniors will not count toward the scholarship limit many programs nationally could go beyond the usual scholarship limit in all spring sports. At the same time; however, that doesn't mean all schools will have the revenue to provide the financial aid.
"The question becomes where does the athletic department find the extra scholarship dollars," Middle Tennessee softball head coach Jeff Breeden said. "It could mean as much as $400,000 to the department for all seniors in all spring sports. This will become a four-year problem of roster sizes and scholarship dollars."
Breeden believes there is no immediate solution to the dilemma.
"Time will tell how this plays out," Breeden said. "We need to do our best to treat everyone as fairly as possible with the best interest of the program as the bottom line. On the surface this looks like easy and happy decisions but it is a real complicated issue in which some hard decisions will have to be made. Decisions will have to be made for the best interest of the program, not the best interest of an individual, but I feel like this was the right thing to do for the players."
Tanner Owens is the only senior on the men's golf roster and coach Mark McEntire anticipates his return for another year.
"I am in the process of talking with him and seeing what he wants to do," McEntire said.
Like others with larger rosters in the junior class, McEntire said the NCAA decision impacts the 2021 class most.
"For next year on paper we will have nine freshmen so that will mean we will redshirt some and delay a recruiting class," McEntire said. "The high school seniors are who I feel the worst for. Seniors in high school are not getting to have graduation or prom for their senior seasons. It is a big deal. Also, with seniors coming back, we will most likely end up redshirting some. Short term it is not what they wanted, but long term it could be really good for us."
Women's golf coach Chris Adams will not see her program impacted greatly either way immediately as she had no seniors. With one player coming into the program in the fall, Adams' roster will feature eight players.
"It will impact us in the future with the underclassmen coming back with loads of experience," Adams said. "I am pleased with the decision as you hate to see players not get the chance of finishing the season. It will give them a chance to compete an extra year if all parties agree and the situation is good for all impacted."
Most all spring sports are not able to reward full scholarships due to the scholarship limits compared to roster sizes. As such, upperclassmen and their families will have to decide if an additional year of eligibility is worth it from a financial standpoint.
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