NCAA reinstates volleyball eligibility for UM’s Voss

Leah Voss of the University of Maine has been reinstated for competition as a member of the Black Bears volleyball team.

The NCAA notified UMaine on Wednesday that Voss has been reinstated, is immediately eligible and may compete during the remainder of her senior season without further sanctions.

The athletic eligibility of Voss, an outside hitter from Gettysburg, Pa., came into question last week when it was revealed she had competed in a Sept. 27 match for a team in a coed adult league run by the Brewer Recreation Department.

Voss reportedly had agreed to play on the spur of the moment, after one team lacked enough players for the match, thinking it would be considered only a scrimmage and not an official league match.

UMaine athletics spokesman Joe Roberts said Voss was found to have been in violation of NCAA bylaw 14.7.1, which prohibits student-athletes from participation in outside competition. In the meantime, the university withheld Voss from last weekend’s America East matches against Drexel and Towson and compiled a self-report about the situation for the NCAA.

The NCAA rendered its decision Wednesday, concurring with the interpretation in UMaine’s self-report that asserted the two matches Voss sat out constituted a sufficient sanction for the violation, Roberts said.

“We’re pretty excited to put this behind us and focus on playing volleyball instead of focusing on questions about Leah Voss’ eligibility,” Roberts said.

UMaine was not required to forfeit any matches as a result of the violation.

UMaine volleyball resumed action Wednesday night at Memorial Gym in Orono with an exhibition match against the University of New Brunswick. Coach Sue Medley’s Bears (8-9 overall, 2-3 America East) are battling to earn a conference playoff spot.