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The Daily OrangeGrad student Scull hoping NCAA grants 5th year of eligibility
By Philip George
Posted: 9/22/09, 11:31 PM EST Section: Sports
Chris Fox has pleaded his case. The paperwork has been neatly folded, sealed and shipped off to NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis. Now the matter is out of his hands, and all he and the Syracuse cross country team can do is wait as Jeff Scull's future hangs in the balance.
When Scull had his senior season cut short in 2008 due to two stress fractures sustained during workouts, questions arose regarding a possible return to the team.
"I don't see why I wouldn't," Scull said. "I definitely want to be here as long as I can be."
But Scull's decision to return is only half the battle.
Scull is currently enrolled in the Department of Exercise Science graduate program at Syracuse University, leaving open only the matter of his eligibility. The team has petitioned the NCAA to grant Scull a medical redshirt for last season, thus giving him a fifth year of eligibility.
"It was a matter of him getting into graduate school and a matter of getting his eligibility back," said Fox, SU's head cross country coach.
Upon transferring to Syracuse in 2006 following his freshman season at Colorado State, Scull almost immediately became the cornerstone of the cross country program.
He has twice been named to the All-Northeast Region team and was an All-Big East selection in 2007. In his junior season, he placed 122nd overall at the NCAA Division I National Championships.
"Jeff is certainly the guy who helped get our program off the ground," Fox said. "He came in when we weren't very good, and he's helped us become a nationally ranked program."
But following a promising start to his senior season - a 24th place finish at the Paul Short Invitational - Scull suffered a stress fracture in his pelvis. He attempted to return in January but suffered a second stress fracture, this time in his lower back.
While there was never any doubt in Scull's mind that he wished to pursue a fifth year of eligibility, the ultimate resolution depends on the sales pitch by Syracuse's NCAA Compliance Office, which will present the case for Scull's eligibility.
When Scull had his senior season cut short in 2008 due to two stress fractures sustained during workouts, questions arose regarding a possible return to the team.
"I don't see why I wouldn't," Scull said. "I definitely want to be here as long as I can be."
But Scull's decision to return is only half the battle.
Scull is currently enrolled in the Department of Exercise Science graduate program at Syracuse University, leaving open only the matter of his eligibility. The team has petitioned the NCAA to grant Scull a medical redshirt for last season, thus giving him a fifth year of eligibility.
"It was a matter of him getting into graduate school and a matter of getting his eligibility back," said Fox, SU's head cross country coach.
Upon transferring to Syracuse in 2006 following his freshman season at Colorado State, Scull almost immediately became the cornerstone of the cross country program.
He has twice been named to the All-Northeast Region team and was an All-Big East selection in 2007. In his junior season, he placed 122nd overall at the NCAA Division I National Championships.
"Jeff is certainly the guy who helped get our program off the ground," Fox said. "He came in when we weren't very good, and he's helped us become a nationally ranked program."
But following a promising start to his senior season - a 24th place finish at the Paul Short Invitational - Scull suffered a stress fracture in his pelvis. He attempted to return in January but suffered a second stress fracture, this time in his lower back.
While there was never any doubt in Scull's mind that he wished to pursue a fifth year of eligibility, the ultimate resolution depends on the sales pitch by Syracuse's NCAA Compliance Office, which will present the case for Scull's eligibility.
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Lauren
posted 9/24/09 @ 12:15 AM EST
Best wishes to you Jeff Scull! My husband was a distance runner in his college days and had three stress fractures. His trainers and coach told him he should probably quit runnng. (Continued…)
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