Coaches vote in favor of fifth year of eligibility

by Kristie Boudwin

Daily Lobo

The 195 Division I men's basketball coaches unanimously voted to support a proposal that could significantly change college basketball.

The National Association of Basketball Coaches is proposing changes to NCAA rules regarding eligibility and player-coach communication. One change would add a year of eligibility for Division I men's basketball players.

The average college student takes 4.8 years to earn a degree, but players have only four years of eligibility.

UNM head coach Ritchie McKay said a fifth year of eligibility would be good for the game and the athletes.

"A fifth year would do wonders in terms of graduation rates and give players the ability to attack their degree programs," McKay said. "The change would be positive for student athletes given the time demands on their schedules. An extra year could reduce pressures on and off the floor."

UNM Director of Basketball Operations Grant Farmer said the changes will benefit the UNM basketball program's graduation rate. He said the extra year of eligibility would be a good incentive for players to finish their degrees.

"Many players stay to finish their degrees, but some don't," Farmer said. "If a player stays to graduate, they could play another year."

The coaches also suggested new eligibility rules for players transferring from one Division I school to another. NCAA regulations do not allow players to play the first season after they transfer, but they use up a year of eligibility. The coaches' proposal means transfers will not need to sit out a year and lose a year of eligibility.

The proposal also includes greater enforcement of NCAA regulations and more severe punishment for infractions.

Other parts of the proposal allow coaches to communicate more freely with recruits, increase emphasis on academics, and meet regularly with players to discuss academic goals.

NCAA President Myles Brand said he is supportive of academic reform for NCAA athletes, and has been since he took over as president in January 2003. He said the proposal is coherent and makes an effort to make coaches work more like mentors and teachers.

McKay said the NCAA will continue to support the coaches' proposal. He said the NCAA's outlook is different from the coaches' outlook, so he does not think the proposal will be adopted in its entirety.

"We are doing whatever is in our power to improve the game and the experience of the student athlete," McKay said. "I do not think the entire proposal will be adopted, but I do not see why some of the suggested changes would not be."

The NCAA Management Council will review the proposal Monday. The NCAA legislation will further evaluate the suggested changes. The detailed review could take up to one year. If adopted, the changes could go into effect in the spring of 2005.