First, my disclaimer – I am not a compliance official of any sort. I have a weird fascination with NCAA compliance. The material below is just my interpretation of the rules in a easily digestible form for fans. It should not be used by student-athletes or athletics officials for any formal use.
All of Boston University is still abuzz with the future of rising sophomore Colin Wilson’s potential jump to the NHL after the Nashville Predators drafted him 7th in this year’s NHL Draft. Everyday, there seems to be a different opinion about what he will do – stay another year in college or make the jump to the pros. Yes, he was Hockey East Rookie of the Year last year, and that’s indicative of his immense potential, but his offensive production left a bit to be desired and he took a while to find his footing in the college game. Because of that, everyone’s opinion about what he’ll do seems valid – it’s totally up to him at this point. He’ll be a fun and powerful hockey player wherever he plays next season.
But how can Colin Wilson even entertain a professional hockey team holding his rights and attend Predators development camp while he is still deemed an eligible student-athlete by the NCAA? Because in certain sports, the NCAA makes provisions for professional teams to draft currently eligible players. However, there are quite a number of provisions placed on the drafting of student-athletes to maintain their amateur status. Continue reading