I was in the locker room Monday and saw Matt Danowski take off his Duke jersey for what I thought would be the last time. However, it has just been announced that the Duke players from the 2006 team are going to be granted another year of eligibility. Should all the seniors return, especially Danowski, Casey Carroll and Nick O’Hara, Duke lacrosse will be a juggernaut next year and surely favored to win the 2008 title.Below is the press release from the NCAA:———————————–FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Stacey Osburn
Associate Director of Public and Media Relations
NCAA
317/917-6117
NCAA GRANTS SEASON OF COMPETITION WAIVER TO DUKE MEN’S LACROSSE TEAM
INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA student-athlete reinstatement staff has granted a season-of-competition waiver to 33 student-athletes who participated on the Duke University men’s lacrosse team during the 2006 season. The waiver was requested by Duke University for all men’s lacrosse student-athletes who were not seniors during the 2006 season.
The waiver provides each of the student-athletes a fifth year of eligibility to play lacrosse, regardless if the participation is for Duke or another NCAA institution. Duke University applied for the additional season of competition after canceling the 2006 season amid criminal allegations against some members of the team.
“These individuals were involved in an unusual circumstance that we believe warrants providing them the opportunity to complete their four years of competition,†said Jennifer Strawley, NCAA director of student-athlete reinstatement and membership services.
The student-athlete reinstatement staff considered a number of factors in determining that a waiver of NCAA regulations was appropriate. These factors included the unusual and extenuating circumstances surrounding the cancellation of the season; the hardship endured by the team from the false allegations; and the unanimous endorsement by the Atlantic Coast Conference university presidents for the waiver.