Willie Hsiung writes:
>After reading some articles about NCAA eligibility and the Olympics that
>were posted a few months ago, I'm just wondering if NCAA hockey players
>have only four years of eligibility.  The reason why I'm asking this was
>while I was looking through the stats of former NMU defenseman Brad Werenka
>this summer, it showed that he already played four seasons for NMU before
>last season, though he only played a few games in his 4th season.
>Is a player allowed to play five years of college hockey?
 
He may play *in* five years, but not five full years.  In Werenka's case,
I believe he was injured very early in the season you mention and then
petitioned the NCAA to be allowed to play one more year.  Since a player
has 5 years to play 4, this is usually accepted in these cases.  I think
that if a player plays fewer than ~10 games and then his season is cut
short due to injury, he is considered to have a good case - but 10 is
supposed to be the magic number.  Maine's Mario Thyer likely would have
gone this route a few years ago when he broke his leg, but he ended up
turning pro rather than finishing his eligibility.
 
(See Bill Fenwick's mail for more precise info; I wrote this before
seeing his mail.)
 
As for 5 to play 4, even that is flexible.  Merrimack's Frank Schofield
took about 8 years to play 4.  He joined the Navy (became a Seal) after
his first year of school, then returned at the age of 23 to complete his
education and was allowed to play during those 3 years, finishing in 1990.
 
A friend of mine is trying to be allowed to play 4 in 6 years.  He was
led to believe that if he made a team, he'd get a scholarship, but none was
forthcoming.  After 2 years at the school, he could not afford to stay
even though he was doing well in school & hockey, so he had to leave and
it took about two years for him to earn some money and complete the
transfer process to another school.  He will be playing DivI this year;
next year is a possibility.  I've never heard of anyone claiming financial
hardship as a reason to be allowed an extra year, but he is trying it, and
he seems to have a solid case.
 
 
- mike