Iowa State forward Ines Nezerwa granted another season of eligibility

AMES, Ia. — Iowa State forward Ines Nezerwa’s murky future finally has some clarity.

Nezerwa has received a waiver from the NCAA that will extend her eligibility and allow her to compete in the 2019-20 season.

“We could not be more excited by the NCAA's decision to grant Ines another year of eligibility,” Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly said in a statement. "We appreciate the NCAA looking at everything the way they did, as Ines is truly a special person who loves being a student-athlete. We all look forward to having Ines as part of our team next season."

► PREVIOUSLY: Ines Nezerwa's long wait to be cleared pays off

The NCAA determined that Nezerwa was denied the opportunity to compete in at least two seasons during her five-year period of eligibility. Nezerwa, who hails from Bujumbura, Burundi, spent the 2017-18 season at Jacksonville College before coming to Iowa State.

During her lone season at Iowa State, Nezerwa appeared in 34 games, averaging 4.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. She has been listed as a senior for Iowa State all season while the Cyclones tried to get her another season of eligibility. The wait lasted all season long.

“It was a very stressful process, not knowing if I would be coming back, but being able to get this extra year is something I've been looking forward to since I got cleared the first time," Nezerwa said in the statement. "It's showed me how much I can trust the coaches — a lot of work was done by the coaches and compliance staff, and there's nothing I can do to thank them. It pushes me to work hard and get ready for next season."