Siena basketball's Elijah Burns denied on NCAA appeal

Burns will have one year of eligibility remaining and be able to play in the 2019-2020 season.

The Committee for Legislative Relief upheld a ruling by the NCAA staff against Burns in early January. In that original decision, the NCAA staff cited bylaw 14.5.5.3, which states that a student-athlete isn't eligible to compete at his her new school following a transfer if he or she competed in the same academic year at the previous school.

Burns played in four games for Notre Dame before graduating in December. Siena believed that Burns should be given a waiver as a unique case in that he's a midyear graduate transfer.

"We are disappointed in the outcome and thought that since Elijah had graduated and had the support of Notre Dame to play right away, that this might qualify for a waiver to the bylaw,'' Siena athletics said in a news release.