Most people say that athletes only have one “redshirt” season. And for most athletes, this is true. However, there are other “shirts” when it comes to preserving eligibility. Athletes can be granted the ability to save more than one year of eligibility based on extraneous circumstances. Here are some alternatives to the traditional redshirt when it comes to saving eligibility.
Medical Redshirt: When a season ending injury occurs before 30% of the season has been played, athletes can qualify for a medical redshirt. A doctor is required to declare whether or not the injury is season ending.
Related: 2 Ways to Qualify for a Redshirt Year
Grayshirt: A season when the student athlete is technically not a full-time member of the university or the team. This serves to preserve a year of eligibility without using a redshirt season.
Related: Grayshirt vs Redshirt: Pros and Cons
Pinkshirt: Pink shirt applies to female athletes who become pregnant during their collegiate career. A pinkshirt can be applied and eligibility can be deferred to the following season if the athlete does not play during the season of her pregnancy.
Related: Redshirt | Everything You Need to Know and Athletes' Personal Experiences
* Originally published on December 3, 2021, by Paramveer Chohan
