2024 5th year COVID seniors CONFIRMED

[cuuf]

At least though with the COVID seniors they were given 4 years, in theory, and one can certainly understand the challenges of managing a roster for the future. The other situations I am not so sure. But I honestly cant recall this being a normal occurrence in recent history. I am sure there are one or two cases out there that someone can point to but I dont think its widespread.

 

[MensGym]

Actually, the freshman of the 2020 season, who are now seniors, are the last class to get their Covid year.

 

[irichluck21]

Actually, the freshman of the 2020 season, who are now seniors, are the last class to get their Covid year.

This is incorrect.
The freshman of 2020 who were sophomores in 2021 and are now seniors get their COVID year.
Additionally, the freshman of 2021, who are now juniors will get a COVID year.

The COVID year was awarded for 2021 NCAA season, not 2020.
This was because with COVID, there was uncertainty on how the season would play out. Many schools opted to not have a season for example D3 and Ivy League, Michigan State stopped their season after 3 meets. Stanford had to cancel multiple meets and IIRC didn’t have an NQS to qualify to regionals, and Temple and Auburn were eliminated before their regionals started because of a positive COVID test.

This year’s junior class will be the last to get a bonus COVID year.
The sophomores will not so McCallum, Eaker, Chiles, Carey, etc will be the first group to go back to 4 years of eligibility.

 

[MensGym]

Yea. I actually learned that last night. It was all so confusing.
I guess why is you keep seeing that Kyla and Maggie weren’t “allowed” their Covid year.

 

[irichluck21]

I guess why is you keep seeing that Kyla and Maggie weren’t “allowed” their Covid year.

Right.
Because the 2020 winter season was complete for the majority of NCAA teams, gymnastics goes a bit longer but the regular season was finished.
So all the athletes did not get another year because the year had basically wrapped up other than post-season.

However, the spring athletes all had a season of eligibility returned to them because they had not competed yet.

Kinda of unfair because gymnastics didn’t get conference championships, regionals, or nationals.
Basketball was set to begin the NCAA tournament on March 17 and it was cancelled.

 

[irichluck21]

Ragan Smith confirmed she is taking her 5th year at OU.

 

[MensGym]

The men had 2 regular season meets left and conference and nationals. They should have gotten the year and they didn’t. Well, I heard that some did and some were “let go” because of roster size limits.
I guess I’m still confused about all of it. Ha!

 

[irichluck21]

The men had 2 regular season meets left and conference and nationals. They should have gotten the year and they didn’t. Well, I heard that some did and some were “let go” because of roster size limits.
I guess I’m still confused about all of it. Ha!

NCAA didn’t look at individual sports. They assessed how much time was left in the winter season. Since the majority of the season was over, that was the decision they made.

The “let go” because of roster sizes is not accurate. In 2021-2022 NCAA scholarships were not limited to accommodate the additional year. They just returned to scholarship caps this year.

 

[Sparklesmom]

I find that the most interesting thing about the covid year stuff is watching to see which teams have planned well for the end of it. some schools are “holding” scholarships for 5th years, not recruiting for those spots, etc. It will be fascinating to see who has to scramble to fill the hole which pops up when they lose potentially large portions of their teams in one year. For example if you have two covid year seniors, plus three to four regular seniors, that is 5-6 gymnasts who are gone in one fell swoop. If all of them are mainstays in the line ups- well that could cause a big hole unless it was planned for.

 

[irichluck21]

Some are able to get the 5th years an academic scholarship as long as they are attending graduate school. I would assume a majority of these athletes are living off campus now. So if they can get an academic scholarship and not funded by the school itself, those do not count against the 13 on “full ride” scholarship. Some are also walk ons, like the one from Penn transferring to Michigan. She is taking her COVID year and walking on because she was headed to UM for her graduate program anyway.

 

[RedBirdie]

But it doesn’t matter if athletes are scholarship or walk on. Losing 5-6 regular competitors at once is going to be difficult, if not impossible, for any team to absorb.

 

[irichluck21]

oh 100%…which looks to be Michigan, Oklahoma, and Florida loses Trinity which is huge

 

[cuuf]

Lol, Trinity = losing 5-6 gymnasts. Truth!

 

[navyblue]

with NIL, it makes sense to do another year. Plenty of monetary opportunity when there would otherwise be none.

It’s not quite that bad. I imagine at least some of these athletes will go on to make money from salaried jobs!

 

[irichluck21]

It’s not quite that bad. I imagine at least some of these athletes will go on to make money from salaried jobs!

True.
But these are athletes that have committed to grad school.
Hard for them to work full time, take graduate courses, and compete division 1 gymnastics.

It is probably more fun for them to compete another year in what they love, with teammates that are like sisters.

With NIL, they have the choice to stay one more year because of COVID giving them all another year.

 

[Laura722]

I don’t know if this is true, but I heard someone say that Bev has been prioritizing keeping her gymnasts for the 5th COVID year. I’d be surprised if Brooks and Wilson don’t return. So after next season, they will lose a bunch. I’m not sure what year Baumann is off the top of my head, but she does have an extra year of eligibility from redshirting.

 

[navyblue]

But these are athletes that have committed to grad school.

I see what you’re saying. I was just joking about the idea that after NCAA/NIL they have no more prospects for income.

 

[irichluck21]

Wilson, Brooks, Koulos are all seniors, should they choose not to continue as a graduate student. Then all three plus Heiskell and Wojick leaving would be a humongous loss.
These 5 were responsible for 18 out of the 24 routines at Big Tens (and likely post season run).

Baumann is a junior but is technically a redshirt sophomore (which they don’t use on bios anymore).
So she has 2 more years of regular eligibility and her COVID year. So 3 more years left.

 

[Laura722]

As I suspected, Gabby Wilson and Sierra Brooks have announced they are both taking their 5th year.

 

[MensGym]

I can tell you for sure that MAG gymnasts, that were seniors in 2020, did not or were not allowed to stay. Their season and careers were finished on March 13.