Paperclip
1/9/2007, 03:13 PM
Alan Schmadtke
Sentinel Staff Writer
January 7, 2007
KISSIMMEE -- There won't be many more Ryan Smiths, despite the protests of the nation's college athletes.
And there won't be a 12th football game among the smallest schools in Division I.
NCAA leaders erased a transfer rule they put in place a year ago and reaffirmed their 12th-game decision Saturday at the NCAA Convention at the Gaylord Palms Resort.
They chose to halt the transfers of Division I athletes who graduate before their athletic eligibility is used up and might want to go to graduate school and play sports at a different school. Presidents, faculty athletic representatives, athletic directors and conference commissioners voted 196-83 (with two abstentions), enough support to override last year's rule passage.
The override came despite overwhelming support by the NCAA's Student-Athletic Advisory Committee.
"I think a lot of coaches and athletic directors are very frightened. Fear drove the circumstances and won," said David Goldfield, a professor and faculty athletic representative from North Carolina-Charlotte. "All of us here -- coaches, athletic representatives or administrators -- are in the business of helping students fulfill their dreams, whether they're academic or athletic. This override contradicts that objective."
If so, that fear was generated by a few instances of transfers. Under legislation passed last year, graduates in football, men's and women's basketball and men's ice hockey could transfer, no strings attached, and play at another school if they had eligibility remaining.
Only 25 athletes, including Smith, took advantage of the rule. Smith transferred from Utah to Florida, following the football coach that recruited him to Utah, Urban Meyer. He's expected to start Monday's national-championship game against Ohio State.
Saturday's override means the one-time graduate transfer rule will disappear after the 2006-07 school year ends.
"We know there's discussion on both sides, but our feeling is we spend an enormous amount of dollars to recruit a student-athlete to be on our campus for four years. To have him or her go somewhere else and play after our investment, we don't really support that," said UCF Athletic Director Keith Tribble, who voted for the override.
Alan Schmadtke can be reached at [email protected].
Copyright © 2007, Orlando Sentinel
Sentinel Staff Writer
January 7, 2007
KISSIMMEE -- There won't be many more Ryan Smiths, despite the protests of the nation's college athletes.
And there won't be a 12th football game among the smallest schools in Division I.
NCAA leaders erased a transfer rule they put in place a year ago and reaffirmed their 12th-game decision Saturday at the NCAA Convention at the Gaylord Palms Resort.
They chose to halt the transfers of Division I athletes who graduate before their athletic eligibility is used up and might want to go to graduate school and play sports at a different school. Presidents, faculty athletic representatives, athletic directors and conference commissioners voted 196-83 (with two abstentions), enough support to override last year's rule passage.
The override came despite overwhelming support by the NCAA's Student-Athletic Advisory Committee.
"I think a lot of coaches and athletic directors are very frightened. Fear drove the circumstances and won," said David Goldfield, a professor and faculty athletic representative from North Carolina-Charlotte. "All of us here -- coaches, athletic representatives or administrators -- are in the business of helping students fulfill their dreams, whether they're academic or athletic. This override contradicts that objective."
If so, that fear was generated by a few instances of transfers. Under legislation passed last year, graduates in football, men's and women's basketball and men's ice hockey could transfer, no strings attached, and play at another school if they had eligibility remaining.
Only 25 athletes, including Smith, took advantage of the rule. Smith transferred from Utah to Florida, following the football coach that recruited him to Utah, Urban Meyer. He's expected to start Monday's national-championship game against Ohio State.
Saturday's override means the one-time graduate transfer rule will disappear after the 2006-07 school year ends.
"We know there's discussion on both sides, but our feeling is we spend an enormous amount of dollars to recruit a student-athlete to be on our campus for four years. To have him or her go somewhere else and play after our investment, we don't really support that," said UCF Athletic Director Keith Tribble, who voted for the override.
Alan Schmadtke can be reached at [email protected].
Copyright © 2007, Orlando Sentinel