Abstract
Too many Division II male student athlete collegiate basketball players are not graduating from college. In 2016, the Federal Graduation Rates (FGR) of Division II college basketball players (N=3,245) was 46%. This phenomenological qualitative study seeks to better understand what effect the redshirt year has on the identity, social, emotional, academic, and athletic development of college student athletes by interviewing 12 of the current student athletes on a Division II basketball team who either redshirted or are in the process of redshirting. The findings revealed that transformational leadership focusing on the holistic development (identity, social, emotional, academic, and athletic development) of the redshirt student athlete by employing the Social Emotional Academic Athletic model (SEAA) will lead to feelings of belonging and commitment that will increase the overall Division II NCAA graduation rates for all student athletes. The findings have led to the following conclusion: Committed male student athlete basketball players redshirting their freshman year made successful transitions in identity from high school to college; Committed male student athlete basketball players redshirting their freshman year showed positive social, emotional, academic, and athletic development; and committed male student athlete basketball players redshirting in this program have higher graduation rates based on the positive effects the redshirt year had on their identity, social, emotional, academic, and athletic development.