[81alum]

It is a very real possibility that they were not admitted to graduate school at Stanford, which means that the only way they play next season is to grad transfer.

Exactly.

I don't know why everyone always assumes that if you have an extra year of athletic eligibility, that you can automatically stick around for an extra year.   

Even non-selective public universities often have a requirement of a 3.0 gpa to enter into any MA program.  Stanford's programs  will of course be more selective than that--some much much more selective--and involving a lot more than good grades.  A football player who had a few "C"s as an undergraduate might well not be admitted to any Stanford MA program.

And while we are talking about this, most graduate programs make their admissions decisions in April.  I know there are early decisions for undergraduate admissions for athletes, but is there any such thing for graduate programs?  Wouldn't a prudent student-athlete want to keep all the options open until they know where they are admitted for graduate school?

[81alum]

It is a very real possibility that they were not admitted to graduate school at Stanford, which means that the only way they play next season is to grad transfer.

Exactly.

I don't know why everyone always assumes that if you have an extra year of athletic eligibility, that you can automatically stick around for an extra year.   

Even non-selective public universities often have a requirement of a 3.0 gpa to enter into any MA program.  Stanford's programs  will of course be more selective than that--some much much more selective--and involving a lot more than good grades.  A football player who had a few "C"s as an undergraduate might well not be admitted to any Stanford MA program.

And while we are talking about this, most graduate programs make their admissions decisions in April.  I know there are early decisions for undergraduate admissions for athletes, but is there any such thing for graduate programs?  Wouldn't a prudent student-athlete want to keep all the options open until they know where they are admitted for graduate school?