It is the purpose of the NWAC eligibility articles to establish requirements and procedures affecting the eligibility of student-athletes to participate in intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the NWAC in order to assure that all participants are bona fide students of member institutions; maintain the perspective of academic achievement and satisfactory educational progress for student-athletes; establish equity and fairness for all participating students and the several member colleges.
Big Bend Community College recognizes that eligibility standards are often at a level not conducive to earning an associate's degree within a two-year time frame. What follows are the NWAC's core principles of student-athlete eligibility, with additional emphasis from the college's perspective in certain criteria:
- The student-athlete shall be a high school graduate, or the class year of which they were a member shall have graduated.
- The student-athlete shall be enrolled in an NWAC member college within 20 calendar school days from the beginning of the quarter to participate during that quarter.
- The student-athlete shall be officially enrolled in a minimum of twelve (12) quarter credit hours per term.
- The student-athlete who has attempted at least one previous term of full-time enrollment shall have passed a minimum of 12-quarter credit hours during the previous term.
- To be eligible to compete in a second season of any sport, a student-athlete must have earned a minimum of 36-quarter credit hours.
- Maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.25 during any quarter of participation (2.00 after first quarter).
For more information regarding NWAC student-athlete eligibility standards, click here.