Coaches adapting to new eligibility guidelines

HARRISONBURG, Va. -- Spring sports coaches at James Madison University are adapting to new eligibility guidelines from the NCAA in response to COVID-19. JMU spring sports coaches are adapting to new NCAA eligibility guidelines in response to COVID-19. JMU baseball head coach Marlin Ikenberry told WHSV he expects around four seniors from the 2020 squad will take advantage of the extra year of eligibility and return in 2021. While Ikenberry supports the NCAA's decision, he, his coaching staff, and the returning players are now tasked with making the extra year work on the baseball field and in the classroom. JMU softball head coach Loren LaPorte is also working with her returning seniors, Odicci Alexander, Kate Gordon, and Madison Naujokas, to make the extra year of eligibility on the field fit in with their academic plans. "Kate (Gordon) is planning on graduating in the spring while Madison and Odicci, they are going to pick up a minor, finish their internship next year.," said LaPorte. "So Kate is exploring continuing education, graduate school, that type of thing." Projected future rosters could now be changing, which could lead to some tough decisions for coaches in recruiting over the next few years. "It's really the juniors in high school that are going to see the fallout of this," said JMU women's lacrosse head coach Shelley Klaes-Bawcombe. JMU expects between 12-15 seniors to return in 2021 for an extra year of eligibility across the Dukes' eight spring sports.