Friend's son is a 2023 HS grad. Late senior year, he was offered a chance to walk on with a D3 after graduation.
This fall he attends the D3 and works out with the baseball team - goes to practices, plays in the scrimmages, etc.
When the fall "season" is over, he has a meeting with the D3 HC and is told "We like you but you're not ready yet and we're committed to other older players. You can do one of two things. Walk away now and try this again next fall, and retain your year of eligibility. Or, you can continue to work out with us, come to the practices, etc. But, you will not be in uniform for home games and we won't take you with us at all when we are on the road. And, you will lose a year of eligibility."
My question here is: If he takes the offer to lose the year of eligibility, is he technically on the roster for the spring? Isn't that the only way you can lose a year of eligibility?