Re: Niagara drops women's hockey!!
Sorry but I don't agree. There are always stories of 30-year old football players playing in college. Unless the rule has changed here is what I found.
14.2.1 Five-Year Rule - A student-athlete shall complete his or her seasons of participation within five calendar years from the beginning of the semester or quarter in which the student-athlete first registered for a minimum full-time program of studies in a collegiate institution, with time spent in the armed services, on official church missions or with recognized foreign aid services of the U.S. government being excepted. For foreign students, service in the armed forces or on an official church mission of the student's home country is considered equivalent to such service in the United States.
14.2.3.5 Participation after 21st Birthday - Any participation as an individual or a team representative in organized sports competition by a student during each 12-month period after the student's 21st birthday and prior to initial full-time enrollment in a collegiate institution shall count as one year of varsity competition in that sport. Participation in organized competition during time spent in the U.S. armed services shall be excepted.
To summarize the Five-Year rule, enrolling at college or university full time begins your five-year eligibility clock. For a player aiming at the NCAA, full-time enrolment could make them less attractive to schools/coaches recruiting future talent - by thus having less years to work with the player. For the most part, players that want to continue schooling while playing out their junior will attend as part-time students. This allows them to keep the edge on their studies while also being able to balance the rigors of playing junior hockey all the while keeping their NCAA eligibility intact."
You better be carefull as there are some additional rules if you do post grad studies before entering college (see below). Most of the exemptions are gearee towards those with Military Service requirements. There are also special rules for Men's hockey.
14.2.2 Additional Applications of the Five-Year Rule.
14.2.2.1 Athletics Competition. Even though a student is enrolled for less than a minimum full-time program
of studies at a collegiate institution, the student’s five-year period of eligibility begins if the individual
represents the institution in intercollegiate athletics.
14.2.2.2 Nonrecognized College. Enrollment in a postsecondary, noncollegiate institution (e.g., technical
school, seminary or business college) in the United States that is not accredited at the college level by an agency
or association recognized by the Secretary of the Department of Education and legally authorized to offer at least
a one-year program of study creditable toward a degree, constitutes enrollment in the application of the five-year
rule only if: (Revised: 1/10/90, 8/8/02)
(a) The student is enrolled in a minimum full-time program of studies at such an institution that conducts
an intercollegiate athletics program; or
(b) The student, whether enrolled for a minimum full-time program of studies or not, represents the institution
in intercollegiate athletics.
14.2.2.3 Joint College/High School Program. A student-athlete’s eligibility under the five-year rule does
not begin while a student is enrolled in a collegiate institution in a joint high school/college academic program
for high school students in which the courses count as both high school graduation credit and college credit,
provided the student has not officially graduated from high school and does not participate in intercollegiate
athletics while enrolled in the joint program. (Revised: 11/1/01 effective 8/1/02)