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PROVO — A BYU cross-country runner who lost a year of eligibility for participating in a fun run had his senior year reinstated by the NCAA Thursday.
Jared Ward's situation garnered national attention this past week after a Colgate basketball player lost his eligibility for playing in a church basketball game and then had it reinstated. Ward, an All-American, was granted the opportunity to have his case heard Thursday morning and a decision was made the same day, allowing him to compete for BYU immediately.
"I'm just excited to return with my teammates and have an opportunity to compete at nationals," Ward said. "I got a call from BYU compliance a couple hours ago that said the NCAA had decided to reverse their decision and reinstate my eligibility. I'm grateful to the NCAA for reopening the case and I'm just excited to come back and run one more time."
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LDS player gets year of eligibility back after NCAA appeal
After losing a year of eligibility from the NCAA for playing church basketball, LDS athlete Nathan Harries has been awarded his full eligibility.Ward has long been trying to have his eligibility restored. He lost a year of eligibility after he returned from his mission and participated in a recreational race for coaches and family members before his brother's high school race in 2009.
The race took place before he entered school for the winter 2010 semester so the NCAA determined it gave him a competitive advantage. He won the race, which featured many participants in costume.
“I had to get in a workout that day anyway, so I thought I’d just jump in the race,” Ward told the Deseret News. “A lot of the entrants try to get a laugh out of the kids, so they wear costumes. I recall someone wearing a tuxedo and another guy in a bird suit and a monkey or gorilla costume. It’s not uncommon."
Hoping the NCAA would overturn their decision, he ran for BYU from 2010-2012. However, by the time he reached his senior season he still had not been granted an appeal and had to sit out the beginning of the season. Thursday's ruling means he will be able to run in the season's last two races.
I'm grateful to the NCAA for reviewing my case and giving me the opportunity to run.
–Jared Ward
"It's been a roller coaster ride of emotions, but really a learning experience and an opportunity to be grateful for so many people who've been behind it all the way, primarily family and friends, my wife, BYU compliance and my coaches and teammates," Ward said.
Head coach Ed Eyestone said he was estatic when he heard the news.
"I think the NCAA made a fair and a consistent decision, particularly in light of recent developments," he said. "I am very happy with the NCAA, in fact my faith is renewed in the NCAA because they took a difficult concept and they made they right call on this one. I'm just grateful they took another look at it. Certainly the fact that there was a recent precedent allowed them to reexamine that case. I think when they had all the information they made the right call."
The BYU men's cross-country team is ranked No. 5 in the nation and will compete in the NCAA Mountain region Championships Friday. Ward will be participating and hopes to make it back to the NCAA National Championships, where he placed 14th as a junior in 2012.
"Jared's a great athlete. I expect him to rise to the occasion," Eyestone said. "He'll be one of our team leaders and we are certainly a stronger team with him than without."
