West Virginia examining landscape with spring sports

The NCAA has approved that spring sport seniors can return for an additional year of competition next year. That much is clear.

But there are still unanswered questions when it comes to decisions that need to be made by the individual schools.

That’s because while seniors now have the clear to return, the authority on the scholarship financial aid decisions are given back to each individual school. The trickle-down effect of that is obvious as it will impact not only the potential returning seniors but incoming student athletes and potential prospective ones as well.

Financial aid limitations would be waived in those sports for one season for the seniors that elect to return only but individual schools are responsible for funding.

It’s too early to say how many seniors will even look to take part in another additional year, but it’s something that West Virginia has started to explore.

Athletic Director Shane Lyons believes that if every senior elected to return it would be around $450,000 to $500,000 in additional expenses.

“That’s something we’ll have to look at. Overall, the financial picture and how we’re going to operate is just a lot of unknowns at this point,” Lyons said.

Now, each situation is different and the possibility of all those returning isn’t likely with students graduating and wanting to move onto professional careers but that is where conversations between those student athletes and department officials are key.

The sports this would affect are golf, track, rowing and a few baseball players but the plan is that various sports administrators have been in discussion with student athletes to understand where they are at in their thought process at this early junction.

Emotions run high in situations like this and while many players might suggest early on that returning is in their plans, once they finish their degree and graduate the sands could shift.

Still, for now at least at West Virginia officials are just starting to dip their toes in the water of the issue.

Expect the administrators and coaches to continue to iron out a plan after speaking with affected players in the coming weeks in order to determine the best plan of action on attacking the issue at West Virginia.

“We’re really on the front end of this and trying to figure out what that looks like in the coming weeks,” Lyons said.

----------

• Talk about it with West Virginia fans on The Blue Lot.

• SUBSCRIBE today to stay up on the latest on Mountaineer sports and recruiting.

• Get all of our WVU videos on YouTube by subscribing to the WVSports.com Channel

• Follow us on Twitter: @WVSportsDotCom, @rivalskeenan, @PatrickKotnik

•Like us on Facebook