INFORMATION PERTINENT TO THE 2020-21 ACADEMIC YEAR
UPDATED 11/13/2020- After discussion with the Great Northwest Athletic Conference CEO Board, Montana State University Billings will not compete in a conference schedule in the sports of men's and women's basketball and indoor men's and women's track and field during the 2020-21 season. Additionally MSUB will not compete in a conference or championship schedule in the previously postponed fall sports of men's and women's soccer, volleyball, and men's and women's cross country.
We understand that many of our student-athletes, parents and coaches have several questions surrounding the suspension. These FAQs can help answer some of the questions that may arise as students make decisions about their participation options for the 2020-2021 year.
If you have any additional questions that are not answered below, you should contact your respective head coach first. Contact information can be found in the
Athletics Staff directory. Specific eligibility questions can be directed to
MSUB Director of Compliance,
Bekah Gasner at 406-657-2282 or
Rebekah.gasner@msubillings.edu.
*To avoid complications with your future eligibility - make sure to ask the Compliance Office BEFORE you decide to not enroll in a semester or drop classes.*
Note: This document is intended to answer questions pertaining to MSUB, GNAC, and NCAA policy in light of this difficult decision. Individual institutional rules or policies throughout the conference may be more strict than the rules and regulations referenced or described below.
Yellowjacket Athletics will update this page regularly as additional information is received from the NCAA, GNAC, and local or state health officials.
1. Will my athletic scholarship be honored?
A. Per NCAA rules, athletic scholarships cannot be canceled for an athletic-related reason.
MSUB is committed to student-athlete academic success and will continue to honor athletic scholarships per the criteria outlined in the athletic scholarship contract that you signed for the 2020-21 academic year.
2. I am an incoming student-athlete at MSUB and signed an official NLI. Will there be penalties for the National Letter of Intent (NLI) release requests? If so, what will the penalties be?
A.
MSUB is fully committed to supporting every student-athlete during this difficult time. Incoming student-athletes who signed an NLI for the 2020-21 academic year and wish to be released must first contact their coach and then contact the compliance office. All NLI release requests will be handled on a case-by-case basis, per the NLI Provisions outlined on your official NLI. Please note that this scenario would not fall under the NLI null and void criteria for a "discontinued sport."
3. I am considering transferring to another GNAC institution to play intercollegiate athletics. Would I be subject to the GNAC's intra-conference transfer policy?
A. Yes. The
GNAC intra-conference transfer policy will still be in effect. If you believe you have extenuating circumstances that might warrant relief from this policy, please contact
Bekah Gasner to discuss your situation. Please also review the
GNAC bylaws posted under the "Governance" tab on the conference website (
gnacsports.com) to review Bylaw 7.1.2 for the language related to the intra-conference transfer rule. All other NCAA transfer rules will apply.
4. Will there be any change to the NCAA academic eligibility requirements even though my sport's season has been suspended?
A. No. All student-athletes are expected to meet all
MSUB,
GNAC, and NCAA academic eligibility requirements.
5. If my team's conference season is canceled, is there a chance that my team will be allowed to compete against other non-conference schools?
A. Possibly. Fall sports will still have the opportunity to compete in their regularly-scheduled non-championship spring activities. Winter sports teams will be allowed to independently schedule contests against outside competition, so long as they adhere to the following guidelines:
• All competitions must be in compliance with local (Yellowstone County) health and safety protocols as they relate to the coronavirus pandemic.
• All competitions must be in compliance with NCAA return to competition requirements, including testing protocols for student-
athletes on both participating teams, game officials, and other mandatory gameday staff.
• Per GNAC mandate (Oct. 2, 2020), no competition against outside teams shall occur before the date of January 7, 2021.
6. Will I lose a year of eligibility if my team decides to compete against non-conference teams?
A. No. At this time, the NCAA has determined that fall and winter sports teams will retain their season of eligibility should they decide to compete in non-conference games as long as they were academically eligible to compete.
7. If I run out of full-time semesters (maximum of 10 full-time semesters/15 full-time quarters) during the 2020-21 year, will there be an automatic waiver applied?
A. Presently, no. The NCAA will handle waivers related to an extension of eligibility on a case-by-case basis. Please contact your coach first and then Bekah Gasner to discuss your options.
8. Will my team be able to practice at all in 2020-21?
A. Yes, as of July 17, 2020 all MSUB teams will still be allowed to practice per guidance from each sport's head coach. Currently, MSUB will operate under the Back-to-Business Fall 2020 Action Plan.
9. When will decisions be made on the spring sports (softball, baseball, golf, outdoor track) regarding their competitive seasons?
A. The GNAC CEO Board is continually assessing the impact of COVID-19 and is expected to make an announcement regarding spring sports sometime after the New Year.
10. May student-athletes who are not enrolled (or enrolled less than full-time) in a given semester participate in practice or other countable athletically related activities during that semester?
A. No. NCAA rules require that student-athletes be enrolled full-time to participate in countable athletically related activity – both practices and competitions – with very few legislated exceptions.
11. Do NCAA rules regarding amateurism and extra benefits continue to apply to student-athletes while they are on leave from an institution?
A. Yes. Student-athletes on leave from an institution who intend to return and represent MSUB or any other NCAA member institution in intercollegiate athletics should continue to comply with all NCAA rules while not enrolled.
12. If a returning student-athlete elects to take the Spring 2021 (or any subsequent) semester off, would they be permitted to participate in outside athletics activities during that same semester?
A. Individual participation in outside competition may limit a student-athlete's ability to take advantage of the missed term exception to NCAA academic eligibility standards. Please contact your coach first and then Bekah Gasner before participating in any outside athletics activities.
