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Reply to "NLI offer different than the verbal offer"

Midwest Mom posted:
Strike3Looking posted:

Following up on this thread with a new twist.  Assume the following:

* Non-Power 5 D1 school offers player a multi-year scholarship

* Freshman year offer is 50% baseball money, Sophomore year is 0%, Junior year is 25% and Senior year is 25%

If this arrangement is set forth in the financial agreement executed in conjunction with the NLI, is it enforceable because there is Freshman year money of at least 25%?  Does the 0% in Sophomore year render the Junior and Senior year scholarships unenforceable, or is the only risk associated with a 0% scholarship year associated with Freshman year (which I understand equates to a walk-on status with no enforceability as to subsequent year scholarship promises). 

Essentially, is there risk with respect to the enforceability  of a non-Power 5 D1 multi-year scholarship having a year less than 25% if that year is NOT the Freshman year?  Anyone ever see offers structured this way (ostensibly, to give the program more recruiting flexibility in future years)?  Understand that coach can always "encourage" player to leave the program.

A Big Ten coach told us at a camp that they had a minimum of 25% scholarship for each player (this was across the Big Ten). That 25% could happen in any fashion and he had some players that were 25% each other and others that had other arrangements. One player had 100% senior year and nothing other years. Important to confirm but if Big Ten based on what we heard that appears to be something they would honor given minimum of 25% for each player.  One caveat: we heard this about 18 months ago so again, important to confirm. 

Each player on a baseball team does not get baseball money, unless there are 27 or less on roster. 

NCAA rules for D1 are that there are 11.7 scholarships, minimum 25%, split among a maximum of 27 players (counters).  There can be a maximum of 35 players rostered, so some players are not receiving baseball/athletic dollars.

Son's college team used to carry only 27 players so theoretically, each could have gotten athletic money.  Thank goodness that changed and they now carry 35.  You need lots of pitchers.

I have heard of scholarships structured many ways.  Same percent each year.  25, 50, 75, 100% (the coach assuming that the player gets drafted his senior year .  25, 33, 50, 66%.  Son's scholarship was adjusted each year: awarded what was in the NLI his freshman year, upped his sophomore year because a player quit, then lowered his junior year to allow more money for incoming freshmen.  This was all explained ahead of time and we had the option to not accepted the arrangement change.

100% scholarships do happen.  The two I know about were 1) based on full need, no athletic money, which is a dream for a college coach; and 2) to entice a player to not go in to the draft out of high school.

    

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