Western Nebraska Community College has given up its challenge of the National Junior College Athletic Association Executive Committee December eligibility ruling that forced the women’s basketball team to forfeit its first 13 games of this season…all wins.

The NJCAA ruled that freshman center Evgenia “Jess” Samorodova was ineligible to play because of documentation she had played in a single game last year in Israel that also included professional players.

The school has declined to enter arbitration proceedings…saying it would be too expensive and wouldn’t be resolved until after the end of the season, the only one Samorodova would have because of junior college age restrictions.

WNCC had earlier waived the right to an oral appeal hearing, instead asking the NJCAA Executive Committee to consider the written appeal in a timely manner to allow Samorodova to resume playing for the Cougars. The appeal was rejected and the ruling upheld.

WNCC is ranked 22nd despite the forfeits and won the Region IX South Sub-Region. The Cougars will host the Region IX tournament, which starts Sunday. WNCC opens with Little Big Horn College Sunday at 7 pm.