INDIANAPOLIS– This afternoon, the NCAA Division I council voted in favor of extending eligibility for winter sport student-athletes, according to an official statement on Twitter.

DI Council extends eligibility for winter sport student-athletes: https://t.co/ysjyYmt3Jz pic.twitter.com/4DvhAjNvOo

— NCAA News (@NCAA_PR) October 14, 2020

All winter sport student-athletes who compete during the 2020-21 season will receive an additional season of competition. This extension of eligibility is also given to the student-athletes that were slated to compete in the 2020 spring season and the fall 2020 season. This ensures that all athletes get a full year of competition whether they opt-in or opt-out.

NCAA Division I Council Chair and Director of Athletics at the University of Pennsylvania Grace M. Calhoun said, “This is an important milestone in the progress toward modernizing Division I to better support student-athletes in all their endeavors. We know additional refinements may be needed as we make sure modifications are fair, recognize the importance of the current recruiting structure, and that every student-athlete has the same opportunity to benefit.”

RMU’s winter sports consist of men’s and women’s basketball along with men’s and women’s hockey. Both basketball programs are making their Horizon League debut this season, and the hockey teams will remain in the AHA and CHA respectively.