NCAA Grants Additional Eligibility

On Monday, March 30, the NCAA voted to grant every spring sport collegiate athlete an extra year of eligibility. Winter sport collegiate athletes will not be granted extra eligibility.

Spring sports programs that have returning seniors from this spring season can carry more members on scholarship. This will account for incoming recruits. In addition, schools can grant returning seniors from this spring season anywhere from a 0% scholarship to matching the scholarship the player received this past season. This flexibility applies only to student-athletes who would have exhausted eligibility in 2019-20. Roster limits for baseball teams were increased, to account for returning players. 

Read more here: https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/college/big-12/texas-christian-university/article241633711.html?#storylink=cpy

Read more here: https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/college/big-12/texas-christian-university/article241633711.html?#storylink=cpy

Signs of the Times

Coronavirus Turns March Madness Into March Sadness

Statement from Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby

NCAA Cancels March Madness and Winter, Spring NCAA Championships; Grants Seniors Additional Year of Eligibility

Due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus), the NCAA has canceled the Division I men’s and women’s 2020 basketball tournaments and all remaining winter and spring NCAA championships.

The NCAA also announced that is is granting another year of eligibility to thousands of college spring-sport athletes whose seasons were abruptly cut short. Spring sports include baseball, golf, lacrosse, softball, tennis and outdoor track and field.

The NCAA will discuss whether to extend the measure to winter sport athletes, who were nearing their postseason, if not already there. Those athletes missed out on participating in their marquee events but still competed in the bulk of their scheduled competitions.

Winter sports include basketball, gymnastics, ice hockey, wrestling and swimming and diving. The postseasons for those sports were scheduled for the coming weeks and into next month.

The ramifications of extending eligibility will be significant. Teams have scholarship and roster limits. The NCAA could adjust the number of scholarships allowed per sport, however, that would raise costs for schools' athletic departments.

The NCAA said details of eligibility relief will be finalized at a later time. 

The TCU women's basketball team, with a 22-7 overall record and 13-5 conference record, was the Big 12's second-place team. The Frogs, who had been led by six seniors, were expected to earn a spot in the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 2009-2010 season. The team's six seniors are Jaycee Bradley, Jayde Woods, Michelle Berry, Kianna Ray, Ella Hellessey and Adeola Akomolafe.

The TCU rifle team, with a 12-1 record, was scheduled to participate in the NCAA Rifle Championship, March 13-14, in Lexington, Kentucky. The team has four seniors: Emily Haag, Rachel Kimbell, Casey Lutz and Caterine Miller.

At the tournament, the Frogs would have been the defending national champions and participating in the tournament for the 14th consecutive season.  Lexington, Kentucky. Last year, the TCU rifle team claimed the overall and smallbore titles and were the runner-up in air rifle.

The TCU equestrian team (6-7, 2-4 conference) was ranked seventh in the country in the latest NCEA-Equestrain Top 10 poll. The team has 15 seniors. The roster is here.

The men's basketball team (16-16, 7-11 conference), with three seniors (Desmond Bane, Edric Dennis and Jaire Grayer), was not expected to earn an at-large berth in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. The Frogs may have been selected to play in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).

Along with men's and women's basketball, these are the other 2020 Division I winter and spring championships that have been canceled:

• Baseball (Regionals and Super Regionals, and the College World Series)
• Beach volleyball
• Bowling
• Fencing
• Golf (men's and women's)
• Gymnastics (men's and women's)
• Ice hockey (men's and women's)
• Indoor track and field
• Lacrosse (men's and women's)
• Men's volleyball
• Outdoor track and field
• Rifle
• Rowing
• Skiing
• Softball
• Swimming and diving (men's and women's)
• Tennis (men's and women's)
• Women's water polo
• Wrestling

Big 12 Cancels Basketball Tournaments, Other Championships and Remaining Competitions Due To Coronavirus

Due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus), the Big 12 Conference has canceled all conference championships through the end of the spring academic year.

The conference also has canceled all conference and non-conference competitions through the end of the spring academic year, including spring sports that compete beyond the academic year.

Plus, the conference has suspended, until March 29, all organized team activities, whether organized or voluntary, including team and individual practices, meetings, and other organized gatherings. 

The conference's actions have resulted in the cancellation of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships in Kansas City, and upcoming gymnastics and equestrian championships.

Prior to the cancellation announcement, two games had been played in the men's basketball tournament in Kansas City. On Wednesday, March 11, Oklahoma State defeated Iowa State, 72-71, and Kansas State defeated TCU, 53-49. The game was TCU senior Desmond Bane's 141st game in his career, the most in TCU basketball history.

The women's basketball tournament was about to get underway in Kansas City when the cancellation notice was issued.

The TCU women's basketball team, which was the Big 12's second-place team, was scheduled to play its first game in the women's tournament on Friday, March 13.

TCU Reacts to Coronavirus by Extending Spring Break, Canceling Athletic Events

Due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus), TCU has extended spring break for students through March 20, will have classes only online through April 3, and has canceled athletic events through the end of the academic year. 

TCU's has canceled the athletic contests because the Big 12 Conference has canceled all conference and non-conference competitions through the end of the academic year, including spring sports that compete beyond the academic year. 

Additionally, TCU's March 28 spring football practice and scrimmage have been canceled.

The March 28 dedication of the Legends Club & Suites will be rescheduled.

The deadline for football season-ticket renewals has been extended to April 17.

Questions can be directed to the Parrish Family Athletics Ticket Office at 817.257-3764 (FROG) or tickets@tcu.edu.