GRAND FORKS — Mackenzie Hughes expected her collegiate playing career to be over once her four years of eligibility at Mayville State were up.

Around Christmas break of her senior year, she received a text from her former head coach, Dennis Hutter. He passed along news of the NCAA’s latest change regarding eligibility.

The NCAA had introduced a temporary waiver for athletes at non-NCAA schools. NAIA athletes — like Hughes — and junior college players whose eligibility ended in the 2024-25 academic year were granted another year.

“I just said, ‘Don’t think about it now, you’ve still got a season to play,’” Hutter said. “Let’s talk when the year is over and let’s just kind of see what you think.”

Hughes spent the 2024-25 season focused on Mayville State. She guided the Comets to an 18-10

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