NATCHITOCHES – The NCAA has approved a pair of waivers extending another season of eligibility for 45 Northwestern State football student-athletes who competed during the Demons’ tragedy-shortened 2023 season. 

The ruling was released Wednesday by the university, which received notice last Friday after weeks of dialog and paperwork, including obtaining the signatures of all affected players for their individual waivers.

The NCAA approved nine “extension of eligibility waivers” and 38 “season of competition waivers” for players who competed in more than four games in a truncated six-game season. An Oct. 14 game at Nicholls State and the last four games were cancelled by the university in the aftermath of the shooting death Oct. 12 of junior safety Ronnie Caldwell. 

Two of the nine “extension of eligibility” waiver recipients also qualified in the more broad category, said NSU associate athletics director and NCAA compliance director Dustin Eubanks.

“We appreciate the NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement staff members working with us through the arduous process,” Eubanks said. “They were with us every step of the way. With the circumstances surrounding this past season, we wanted to help our student-athletes as much as we could. We couldn’t have asked for a better outcome and hope these student-athletes can move forward in a positive manner whether at Northwestern State or at another institution.” 

The Demons canceled their Oct. 14 road game at Nicholls before returning to play Oct. 19 against Southeastern at Turpin Stadium. On Oct. 26, two days before NSU was slated to visit McNeese for the Cowboys’ homecoming game, the decision was made to cancel the remainder of the 11-game season based on concern for the mental health and well-being of the student-athletes. 

“With a focus on our student-athletes’ well-being, this decision allows those affected by the challenging circumstances of the 2023 season to continue their athletic pursuits,” said NSU President Dr. Marcus Jones, who echoed Eubanks’ appreciation for the NCAA’s decision. “Special thanks to Dustin Eubanks for his tireless advocacy, exemplifying our commitment to prioritizing our athletes and their futures.” 

The waivers apply to those Demons who took part in five or six games this fall and sought an extra year. Players who appeared in four or fewer games and still have a redshirt season remaining on their eligibility clock will need to use that redshirt season under current NCAA guidelines with regards to eligibility.  

“This is the outcome we were hoping to see,” said NSU Athletics Director Kevin Bostian. “We are grateful for the NCAA allowing our student-athletes the option to continue their careers and to regain their year of eligibility following a 2023 season that was trying on numerous levels.”  

Northwestern State’s seven-game Southland Conference schedule is set for 2024, said Wednesday’s announcement, with the full schedule to be released later.