Horizon League Statement Regarding UIC’s Conference Championship Eligibility
Horizon League Statement Regarding UIC’s Conference Championship Eligibility
The League’s Board of Directors met last Friday to consider UIC’s request for a special waiver of Bylaw 2.5.3.3, which provides that a member institution forfeits championship eligibility for its teams if it chooses to violate the timely notice requirement for departing members. The Board decided to uphold the League’s Bylaws.
Horizon League Bylaws provide a choice to departing members: either provide a reasonable one-year notice of a decision to join another league or lose the privilege of having its teams participate in League championships and potentially carry the Horizon League banner into NCAA tournament competition. The League’s eligibility Bylaws have been in place for years and were approved by its members, including UIC, fully aware of this choice.
When UIC announced its intent to leave the Horizon League at the end of the 2021-22 season, UIC chose not to comply with the League’s Bylaw requiring that written notice of such intention must be received on or before July 1 one year before the withdrawal date. In this instance, UIC needed to provide notice before July 1, 2022 and remain a member until July 1, 2023 to be in compliance with League Bylaws and preserve 2022 championship opportunities for UIC teams.
The Board is comprised of presidents and chancellors from institutions that have committed to uphold League Bylaws. Those Bylaws provide the same choice to any member institution that wishes to terminate its membership. It is unfortunate for UIC’s teams that UIC elected a path that precludes their participation in championship play and the opportunity to represent the Horizon League in NCAA competition. But this was an informed choice under a longstanding rule.
UIC teams will continue to play the full regular season schedule for the remainder of the 2021-22 season and all contests will count in the League standings. All UIC teams remain eligible to earn at-large bids to all NCAA team championships. In addition, UIC student-athletes and coaches remain eligible for all regular season awards.