The Hawaii men’s volleyball team is redeeming an NCAA-backed, school-approved mulligan with Thursday’s confirmation that four seniors — including two-time All-American Rado Parapunov — are returning for the 2021 season.

It was presumed their eligibility had ended in March when the NCAA canceled the remainder of the spring-sport seasons because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But later that month, the NCAA’s Division I Council approved a measure providing spring-sport players “an additional season of competition and an extension of their period of eligibility.” Translation: Each athlete’s current class standing was frozen, meaning a senior this year will remain a senior next academic year, a sophomore will be a sophomore, and so forth. The returning seniors would not count against next year’s scholarship limits, but they only could receive financial aid up to the amount they are receiving this year.

The council left the implementation to the individual schools. On Thursday, UH decided each of its 10 spring programs will have the option of bringing back this year’s seniors. UH’s stipulation is each program will pay for its added scholarship costs.

“No new institutional funds will be used,” UH athletic director David Matlin wrote in a news release.

UH has 10 teams that are deemed spring-semester sports, including men’s volleyball. The Rainbow Warriors were ranked No. 2 nationally when their season was canceled in March. On Thursday, head coach Charlie Wade confirmed the 2021 returns of Parapunov, an opposite who was named to the AVCA’s All-America first team the past two seasons; outside hitter Colton Cowell, who was picked to the AVCA’s second team; middle blocker Patrick Gasman, who was a second-team selection in 2019 and 2020, and serving specialist James Anastassiades. Wade said Anastassiades is likely to be hired as a graduate assistant.

Coupled with the addition of the incoming recruits, Wade said, “the energy in the practice gym is going to be at a really high level — super intense, super competitive.”

Wade said the four seniors are set to complete work on bachelor’s degrees next week. They are expected to enter master’s programs in the fall.

“They’re all good students,” Wade said. “They’re all excited about leaving here with a master’s degree. Hopefully, a master’s and a championship would be a great way to go out. They’re really committed to the academic piece. And getting a master’s from the University of Hawaii is something that’s going to benefit them the rest of their lives.”

Parapunov said the announcement came at the right time. Parapunov, who was born and reared in Bulgaria, said his student visa was set to expire.

“I was really hoping for another opportunity to come back here,” Parapunov said. “The news we received today, I think, (was) amazing.”

Wade said it will take restructuring the volleyball budget and fund-raising to pay for the seniors’ additional season. “Money doesn’t grow on trees,” Wade said. “Money’s always tight, and certainly at this time, it’s going to be a challenge. … We’re definitely going to need the community’s help.”

But Wade also noted the seniors contribute to their school expenses. A men’s volleyball team is limited to dividing the monetary equivalent of 4.5 scholarships among its players. “Those guys have made the decision that it’s important enough to them they’re willing to invest back into the program,” Wade said.

The UH baseball team has four seniors and the Rainbow Wahine softball team has two seniors.

“We appreciate the fact we’re given the flexibility to try to find solutions through other avenues,” baseball coach Mike Trapasso said.

Softball coach Bob Coolen said he plans to meet with both seniors while exploring fund-raising options. “Now we move forward and see what we can do,” Coolen said.