NCAA grants Cotton 11th semester of eligibility

Romero Cotton has great news to celebrate for the Thanksgiving holidays. The two-time NCAA Division II 197-pound wrestling champ for University of Nebraska-Kearney has been granted an eleventh semester of eligibility for the spring semester, allowing him to defend his title, NCAA.com reported this week.

Student-athletes have 10 semesters of full-time enrollment in which to use their four seasons of competition, provided they maintain academic eligibility, said UNK Athletic Director Paul Plinske. Cotton concluded his 10th semester this fall while he participated in football for the Lopers, where the team co-captain rushed for 309 yards this year, and 1,866 yards over the past three seasons.

With the NCAA decision allowing Cotton an eleventh semester of eligibility, the Hutchinson, Kan. native will be able to wrestle with the Lopers during spring semester. His first official match in a Loper singlet may be Jan. 1, 2016 at Nebraska's Midland University, though he's able to wrestle unattached now.

Since arriving at Nebraska-Kearney in spring 2013, Cotton has compiled a 44-3 overall record against Division II wrestlers. He is a three-time NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships finalist, as a runner-up in 2013, followed by back-to-back titles at 197 pounds at the 2014 and 2015 NCAAs.

Romero Cotton (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com)

Cotton's journey to Nebraska-Kearney was long, with a major detour along the way. The two-sport athlete originally started his collegiate career at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, then transferred to Hutchinson Community College in his hometown. In 2008 Cotton was arraigned on charges of aggravated battery "as the result of a family situation," according to the UNK press statement announcing Cotton's extended eligibility. "He entered a plea agreement in 2009 that he believed would allow him to receive probation and not a prison sentence. He enrolled at Hutchinson Community College to play football and his plea agreement was rejected, forcing him to withdraw from school and go to prison. In doing so, he used a full-time semester."

Nebraska-Kearney had petitioned the NCAA to extend Cotton's eligibility, with school administrators writing letters to the organization on behalf of their student-athlete.

"[Cotton] is the exception to so many missed opportunities by young people who get entangled in the legal system," UNK Chancellor Doug Kristensen said last week. "To me, he deserves another semester of eligibility -- because of his great contributions to our campus and because of the admirable way in which he turned his life around."

"He takes his athletics and schooling serious. That's outstanding for a young man," said Lopers head wrestling coach Marc Bauer in May 2014. "We're blessed to have him in our program because he is such a fine leader in so many aspects of our program right now."

"He's just a likeable young man," Bauer continued. "I've got a special place in my heart for him because he's just a great young man."

UNK Athletic Director Paul Plinske said Cotton plans to graduate in December 2016 and pursue a master's degree in counseling.

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NCAA grants Cotton 11th semester of eligibility

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