Ivy League

[Mid-Lax]

Come on Ivy League Schools...get the conference call going and grant the extra year to Ivy League athletes. This is no time to sit on your endowments.

[Can Opener]

On an unrelated topic, I am sick of the ear wax commercials.

+1

[AreaLax]

MICHAEL SOWERS WITHDRAWS FROM PRINCETON, PLANS TO PLAY IN 2021

[DA/PU]

great news for Tiger faithful. I'm sure there are still a lot of hoops to jump thru, but awesome to see Sowers publicly declare his intentions. Also cool to see a national sportswriter (Dana O'Neill whose husband is the longtime PU MLax trainer) break the news and get lacrosse some bigger publicity.

[PicLax]

So is Sowers’ withdrawal an indication that Ivy’s will allow a 5th year? Or is the caveat of not having achieved graduate status a way around it?

[calourie]

https://www.uslaxmagazine.com/college/m ... ay-in-2021

No clarification from the league yet. Expect something will be forthcoming from the Ivies soon with Sowers the spearhead for making the decision sooner rather than later in that his is such a high profile case. If he is permitted to do so I wouldn't be surprised to see a few more high profile Ivies follow his example.

[Mid-Lax]

So is Sowers’ withdrawal an indication that Ivy’s will allow a 5th year? Or is the caveat of not having achieved graduate status a way around it?

Historical no, essentially he can say he did not attend the university during his fourth year spring semester and petition to play the following spring year. This situation is typically granted in injury situations. I assume Sowers will petition with COVID-19 as an injury-like situation. So, yes, it is a way around the rule (as pointed out, Pannell waited right up to the almost the end of the semester to make his decision them withdrew - think I remember it was a leg injury that didn't heal fast enough).

So, his parents, scholarship, someone is eating the cost of the extra spring semester. It's doubtful the doubtful the school will give any money back.

However, the Ivy League needs to grant the fifth year to all student athletes! The rule is antiquated. Change it for 2020, change it going forward.

[Typical Lax Dad]

So is Sowers’ withdrawal an indication that Ivy’s will allow a 5th year? Or is the caveat of not having achieved graduate status a way around it?

Historical no, essentially he can say he did not attend the university during his fourth year spring semester and petition to play the following spring year. This situation is typically granted in injury situations. I assume Sowers will petition with COVID-19 as an injury-like situation. So, yes, it is a way around the rule (as pointed out, Pannell waited right up to the almost the end of the semester to make his decision them withdrew - think I remember it was a leg injury that didn't heal fast enough).

So, his parents, scholarship, someone is eating the cost of the extra spring semester. It's doubtful the doubtful the school will give any money back.

However, the Ivy League needs to grant the fifth year to all student athletes! The rule is antiquated. Change it for 2020, change it going forward.

I believe if a player has not used up his eligibility, he can withdraw and return. Any student can withdraw for whatever reason and return. Not sure why an athlete would not have this option.

[Sting The Corner]

We should assume if 5th year is granted 2020 Seniors would not be on campus or allowed to participate in team events in the Fall?

[thetruth]

I'd imagine Sowers probably got insight in to how the Ivies are going to rule from the Princeton AD because you don't withdraw from Princeton based on a hunch. It looks like he's withdrawing for this term and will not re-enroll until the next spring term and is expecting to get the extra year of eligibility from the league consistent with what the NCAA is ruling and I'm sure he has good intelligence there. However, based on what Sowers is doing, it doesn't appear the league is going to provide a grad year or 5th year option (otherwise he wouldn't withdraw). It seems that if you want your final year of athletic eligibility in the Ivies then you will need to withdraw from school until the final term of next year if you are a senior. Which is the way it works now.
Technically, this also means you aren't supposed to practicing with the team in the fall/winter term. Same thing Pannell did.

[Typical Lax Dad]

We should assume if 5th year is granted 2020 Seniors would not be on campus or allowed to participate in team events in the Fall?

That would be my take. They would be off the academic cycle in the fall, I believe.

[Typical Lax Dad]

I'd imagine Sowers probably got insight in to how the Ivies are going to rule from the Princeton AD because you don't withdraw from Princeton based on a hunch. It looks like he's withdrawing for this term and will not re-enroll until the next spring term and is expecting to get the extra year of eligibility from the league consistent with what the NCAA is ruling and I'm sure he has good intelligence there. However, based on what Sowers is doing, it doesn't appear the league is going to provide a grad year or 5th year option (otherwise he wouldn't withdraw). It seems that if you want your final year of athletic eligibility in the Ivies then you will need to withdraw from school until the final term of next year if you are a senior. Which is the way it works now.
Technically, this also means you aren't supposed to practicing with the team in the fall/winter term. Same thing Pannell did.

Yes. I assumed it would be handled this way.

[ABClaxfan]

I believe it was rumored that the Yale seniors did the same thing Sowers is doing. Is there any truth to this?

[watcherinthewoods]

Sadly,this loop hole will not help Dartmouth seniors ... undergrads in the Woods only get 12 terms, so even if students withdraw 2020 spring and don't return until winter 2021, they won't get an entire 2021 season. For these student athletes, the Ivies would have to make an exception and allow graduate student eligibility. A real shame for the #6 women and also the undefeated men and certainly unfair in light of the options open to all other Ivy seniors.

[wrhuradio]

I am amazed at the Sowers decision on a couple of levels....

1- None of the articles mention exactly WHEN he withdrew, but we know it had to be sometime in the March 20+ area. About 50% of the way through the semester, but just incredible sacrifice because we know there is a lot of schoolwork that was completed going down the drain

2- I would imagine there are no refunds on withdrawing from a semester, maybe at best you get a pro-rated partial of what % of a semester you did not complete. It's an incredible financial sacrifice too to withdraw and come back for 2021 when you compare the alternatives for him of graduating, going to grad school and having a good chunk of it likely via a scholarship to play lacrosse somewhere.

[calourie]

If the Sowers precedent is allowed (which I bet it will be) the financial aid part of the equation will be a factor for others thinking along the same lines. I imagine that will be determined by the individual schools. In the event a number are looking to pursue the withdrawal route, I imagine it would provide a bit of soul searching on the part of the financial administrators and coaches involved. Would non-superstars be accorded equal treatment ? Would non athletes ? Interesting times for everyone particularly with the virus still spreading. Most of us will get through this sometime this year, and then things should get substantially clearer. Good luck and good health to all in the meantime.

[Typical Lax Dad]

If the Sowers precedent is allowed (which I bet it will be) the financial aid part of the equation will be a factor for others thinking along the same lines. I imagine that will be determined by the individual schools. In the event a number are looking to pursue the withdrawal route, I imagine it would provide a bit of soul searching on the part of the financial administrators and coaches involved. Would non-superstars be accorded equal treatment ? Would non athletes ? Interesting times for everyone particularly with the virus still spreading. Most of us will get through this sometime this year, and then things should get substantially clearer. Good luck and good health to all in the meantime.

Any student can withdraw and return. The financial aid piece is unrelated to athletics. The ability to pay is a bigger issue. I believe Dunster withdrew and returned to Yale years ago. My guess is that most seniors at most schools will move on, depending on employment opportunities. I just don’t see a senior that has not played much being motivated enough to keep playing.

[wrhuradio]

I think we can all agree that the Ivy League is not going to make a ruling on allowing grad students to play anytime soon.

Just look at how the Ivy League has been decimated by Basketball grad transfers, even intentional sitouts! And they have remained rigid, so if the massive basketball transfers arent going to make them move, lacrosse 5th-years arent going to make them budge overnight either.

While there is a buildup for change, it's not going to change in time to salvage the 2020 Ivy league senior classes.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... rting-them

Also the amazing tale of Harvard WBB having a great player do an intentional healthy sit-out in 2020 so she can grad transfer and play at Texas in 2021.

Opposing Div 1 college coaches already do back channel recruiting years down the road of Ivy Leaguers they know will have a year of eligibility left.

[Mr. Webber]

Just reported via Twitter by Mike Jensen, an excellent college sports columnist/reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer (and a Princeton grad, I think):

"Just in: Ivy League says no to changing rules to help spring-sport athletes graduate and play next year."

[Typical Lax Dad]

Just reported via Twitter by Mike Jensen, an excellent college sports columnist/reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer (and a Princeton grad, I think):

"Just in: Ivy League says no to changing rules to help spring-sport athletes graduate and play next year."

That is what I figured. Kids can withdraw and keep their eligibility as approved by the NCAA but league isn’t going to allow graduate students to play. I am happy for the seniors. Good luck to all.