JONESBORO, Ark. (7/5/17) – Roelf Pienaar of the Arkansas State track and field team has been granted a sixth year of eligibility as the NCAA approved a waiver submitted by the university.

Pienaar suffered a season-ending injury back on January 14 at the Kentucky Track & Field Invitational during the indoor season. Pienaar missed the remainder of the indoor season in addition to the outdoor season, and A-State sought the sixth-year waiver for the 2017-18 athletic season.

“We are excited that the NCAA has granted Roelf his final year of eligibility,” A-State head coach Jim Patchell said. “Roelf has been a great asset to our team and has represented Arkansas State at the highest level during his career. It means a great deal to our program to have Roelf back for his last season.”

Pienaar, a six-time All-American, finished runner-up at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships in long jump and has two bronze medal finishes in NCAA competition to his credit. He is a nine-time Sun Belt Conference champion with five triple jump and four long jump individual titles.