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Jaron Nash given a sixth-year of eligibility at North Dakota

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North Dakota Athletics

North Dakota’s men’s basketball team got some good news on Tuesday night as Jaron Nash was granted a waiver to get a sixth-season of eligibility.

“This has been a long process and we are obviously thrilled to learn that we will get Jaron back for one more season,” UND head coach Brian Jones said in a statement. “There are a lot of people to thank for their efforts, including Kara Helmig and her compliance staff along with our entire athletic administration.

“I also want to thank the NCAA and its review committee because now Jaron will be able to turn his college experience into a positive one. He’s gone through a tough road to get here with his father’s illness and dealling with some of his own injuries, but this decision will enable him to build upon his future and hopefully lift his family’s spirits.”

“This feels very good for me and my family,” Nash said. “We are very relieved and happy that the NCAA decided to give me a waiver to play my final season of collegiate basketball.”

Nash will be the leading returning scorer for UND, as he averaged 10.8 points last season. He began his college career at Tyler Junior College in Texas, but sat out the 2009-2010 season because of an injury. He played in 2010-2011 there before transferring to Texas Tech for the 2011-2012 season. He made the decision to transfer to UND in part because of what happened with Billy Gillispie in Lubbock, but also to be closer to his father, who was sick and living in Iowa.

Nash applied for a waiver to play immediately, but it was not granted by the NCAA, who has a rule that says that all four years of an athlete’s eligibility must be used within five years of enrolling in college. Nash had only played three seasons in those five years, which is why he was given an extra year.

This is how hardship waivers will be handled in the future. Instead of granting a kid immediate eligibility, the NCAA will give them an extra season, if needed, to use all four seasons.

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