NCAA Press Release Archive


NCAA News Release
NCAA Statement Regarding Waiver Request From University Of New Mexico Regarding Katie Hnida, Football Student-Athlete
For Immediate Release Friday, March 26, 2004	Contact(s) Kay Hawes Associate Director of Media Relations 317/917-6117
INDIANAPOLIS---The national office reinstatement staff, on behalf of the Division I Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee, has granted Katie Hnida a waiver and an extension of her five-year clock for the 2004-05 football season. The waiver of NCAA Bylaw 14.2.1 will permit Hnida to participate in NCAA athletics next season, technically her sixth year of eligibility. Hnida's request for a waiver was made by the University of New Mexico, where she is a student-athlete in the sport of football. New Mexico's request was granted on the basis of Hnida being denied two seasons of participation due to medical reasons. Specifically, Hnida was unable to participate during the 1999-00 season because of mononucleosis, and she was unable to participate during the 2000-01 season because of severe infections in her throat and tonsils that required surgery. Because the medical reasons stated above met the objective criteria outlined in the waiver (NCAA Bylaw 30.6.1.1.(a)), no other outside factors were considered in the national office staff analysis in granting this request. (Hnida gave the Association written permission to disclose the factors considered in granting the request.)

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