Hi all,
 
Mike Machnik asked me to clarify the post I made about
Tom Nevers. Here is my attempt to do just that.
 
My original post contained the following confusing statements
 
1.)     From 1995-96 Gopher Hockey Media Guide
 
        "Extremely gifted multi-sport athlete...returning to
        competitive hockey this season after a six-year layoff."
 
2.)      My wording
 
        "But because of his age, 24, he only has two years
        of eligibility left and should be classified as a Junior.
        This correction was made by the Media Department today
        (Thursday)."
 
Mikes exact words were:
 
        "Tim, can you (or anyone) clarify this?  What is the
        specific NCAA rule that applies here?  I do not know of
        a limitation on age...if Nevers has truly not played any
        organized hockey since he turned 20 and his "5 years to
        play 4" have not started before this year, then I don't
        understand how he can have any fewer than 4 years of
        eligibility for hockey."
 
The relevant NCAA Guideline Mike is paraphrasing is
 
        NCAA Eligibility Rule 5-1-(d)-(3) (Taken from 1989-89 NCAA Manual)
 
        "Any participation by a student as an individual or as a
        representative of any team in organized competition in a
        sport during each 12-mouth period after the student's
        20th birthday and prior to matriculation at a member
        institution shall count as one year of varsity competition
        in that sport, provided, however, that in no event shall
        the student be charged with more than one year of
        competition in that sport in any 12-month period after the
        students 20th birthday. ..."
 
The answer to the puzzle is found in a Minnesota Daily article
(link available from Gopher Hockey Home Page)
 
        "A freshman academically, Nevers is listed as a junior
        because he played park and rec hockey in Edina the last
        two years. NCAA rules say any form of organized play
        after a person's 21st birthday takes away from that
        person's eligibility. And the NCAA does not restrict
        eligibility by age, according to Minnesota associate
        men's athletics director Jeff Schemmel."
 
Since Tom never enrolled (matriculation at a member
institution) in college but played 2 years of hockey at a
park and rec league in Edina and he is over the age of 20!
So he has only two years of eligibility left. The statement in
the Hockey media Guide "...returning to competitive
hockey..." is biased. The Rec league is considered
"organized hockey" by the NCAA but not "competitive" by the
guy who wrote this piece in for the Media Guide (Please do
not start thread on Rec vs. Div I:-) ). The quote from the
Daily is also misleading. Yes age alone does not effect a
players eligibility. But prior to the age of 20, a player
can play non professional Hockey and not lose any
eligibility. After 20 years of age, NCAA Rule 5-1-(d)-(3)
applies. So as usual Mike is right. :)
 
Tim Brule
 
http://www.umn.edu/mica/Hockey/index.html (Official Gopher Hockey Page)
http://www.math.umn.edu/~urton/chockey/chockey.html (A college Hockey Page)
 
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