▁of ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁and ▁subsequently ▁t ore ▁an ▁A CL ▁three ▁games ▁into ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁season , ▁which ▁would ▁have ▁otherwise ▁been ▁his ▁final ▁year ▁of ▁el ig ibility . ▁ ▁Term in ology ▁The ▁term ▁red sh irt ▁fresh man ▁indicates ▁an ▁academic ▁s oph om ore ▁who ▁is ▁in ▁their ▁first ▁season ▁of ▁athlet ic ▁participation . ▁A ▁red sh irt ▁fresh man ▁is ▁distinguished ▁from ▁a ▁true ▁fresh man : ▁a ▁student ▁who ▁is ▁in ▁their ▁first ▁year ▁both ▁academ ically ▁and ▁athlet ically . ▁A ▁red sh irt ▁fresh man ▁may ▁have ▁pract iced ▁with ▁the ▁team ▁during ▁the ▁prior ▁season . ▁The ▁term ▁red sh irt ▁s oph om ore ▁is ▁also ▁commonly ▁used ▁to ▁indicate ▁an ▁academic ▁junior ▁who ▁is ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁season ▁of ▁athlet ic ▁participation . ▁After ▁the ▁second ▁athlet ic ▁year , ▁the ▁term ▁red sh irt ▁is ▁rarely ▁used ; ▁the ▁terms ▁fourth - year ▁junior ▁and ▁fifth - year ▁senior ▁are ▁used ▁instead . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁a ▁new ▁status ▁could ▁be ▁applied ▁to ▁pros pective ▁student ▁athlet es , ▁dub bed ▁an ▁academic ▁red sh irt . ▁That ▁year , ▁the ▁NCAA ▁started ▁enfor cing ▁new , ▁str ic ter ▁adm issions ▁requirements ▁for ▁incoming ▁athlet ic ▁fresh men . ▁Under ▁these ▁new ▁requirements , ▁a ▁student ▁ath lete ▁who ▁meets ▁a ▁school ' s ▁own ▁academic ▁ad mission ▁requirements ▁but ▁does ▁not ▁meet ▁the ▁NCAA ▁requirement