Question re: "unattached" NCAA Athletes?

Submitted by JamesBondHerpesMeds on
I was perusing MGoBlue.com.org this evening and stumbled upon something interesting: http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/w-xc/recaps/090216aab.html "U-M put nine athletes under the 18-minute mark in the 5,000-meter event, led by unattached athletes Erin Finn and Kira Garry" Basically, my understanding is that NCAA athletes can run "unattached" despite being under scholarship at their respective university. I could be wrong, but does anyone have further clarity on how this works? Also, why would someone want to compete "unattached"? Or is it required of them due to some eligibility issue I'm not aware of?
MGoBoard
Other

tlo2485

September 5th, 2016 at 12:48 AM ^

My guess is this meet doesn't do team scoring and is more or less a scrimmage, but there is probably a max amount of entries per event. So, they gave the younger or less experienced runners a shot to place, but let the top girls run 'unattached' to still participate. I could very well be wrong and it could be more complex ncaa rules.

Joined: 08/06/2010

MGoPoints: 7429

Blusqualo

September 5th, 2016 at 9:19 PM ^

As someone who has been attached for 15 + years, I don't know which direction of swipe is good or bad. I will assume that right is good, based on my past experiences. Seems like you couldn't go wrong with a volleyball player. Some of the softball players were ... Uh ... Yeah, but there were also some built like linemen.

Joined: 10/08/2014

MGoPoints: 2700

sbeck04

September 5th, 2016 at 12:50 AM ^

I believe only a certain number of runners can travel/compete for the official team. Any runners on the "second string" can compete at home or provide their own travel to compete at away events independently.

Joined: 09/20/2010

MGoPoints: 1686

wolpherine2000

September 5th, 2016 at 9:41 AM ^

...allows participation from students enrolled in a university without any affiliation to that university'a team, or amateurs not going to school at all. This obviously doesn't apply to the case in the OP's query, but it's common for high caliber athletes at schools with poor programs to opt out of running for the team, maintain their own coach, and compete as unattached.

Joined: 07/10/2009

MGoPoints: 8828

LSAClassOf2000

September 5th, 2016 at 8:42 AM ^

Some insight from the NCAA website regarding competing while "unattached":

"However, a student-athlete seeking to redshirt or an ineligible student-athlete (for example, partial qualifier or nonqualifier serving a year-in-residence) may compete as an individual in an "open" event involving collegiate and noncollegiate competitors without using a season of competition (including an "open" event in which the collegiate competitors receive expenses from and/or score points for their respective institutions), provided the student-athlete represents only himself or herself, pays all of his or her own travel and competition expenses, does not wear any institutional uniforms or use any institutional equipment and does not score points for the institution."

So basically, as others have said, this is a way to get time in without burning a year of eligibility. From what it looks like in the legislative record of the NCAA, they've tinkered with abolishing this in the past, but obviously it ihasn't happened.

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130561

Crisler 71

September 5th, 2016 at 10:21 AM ^

In cross country seven runners, designated before the race make up the team for the day.  Only those seven are "offically" the team.  The others run but cannot score, and run unattached.  In a meet like this the coaches let younger runners make up the seven to earn points toward their letter.  Erin, the best Michigan female runner of all time, and Kira don't need to score in a small early season meet.

As Erin was injured in July, killing her Olympic bid, it could be that she is redshirting this year although I have seen nothing about it.

 

Joined: 05/23/2011

MGoPoints: 964

JamesBondHerpesMeds

September 5th, 2016 at 11:48 AM ^

That's super helpful - thanks! Now, another question: are there limitations to how many runners can compete unattached? I presume they're bound by some type of guideline, but what prevents a random mid-thirties guy deeply curious about collegiate XC from showing up and running "unattached" in meets? I read something about invitationals and/or the host school needing to accept unattached requests, but not sure of the protocol.

Joined: 04/13/2009

MGoPoints: 39541

Crisler 71

September 5th, 2016 at 7:27 PM ^

Most cross country meet are limited to collegians, some are open.  There is nothing to prevent a 35 year old from runnung in an open meet.  You see this all the time in track.  In the old days when UM used to host the Ann Arbor Relays you would see lots of post collegiants competing.  I ran my last open track meet against collige kids when I was 35.

Joined: 05/23/2011

MGoPoints: 964