How Joey Spallina, 4 other Syracuse lacrosse players plan to return for extra year with Orange

Joey Spallina appeared to finish his legendary lacrosse career at Syracuse University this spring.

He, and four of his classmates, are hoping to get another year with the Orange.

The news emerged this week that a lawsuit is seeking more eligibility for Spallina, Finn Thomson, Billy Dwan III, Michael Leo and Luke Rhoa, according to an in-depth report from Syracuse.com's Chris Carlson.

How would this work?

The hope of the lawsuit is that "a temporary restraining order and permanent injunction... would allow them to play a fifth season of college sports, just like most current and future athletes."

The NCAA has brought on new eligibility rules that allow five years of college eligibility as long as athletes enroll in time.

"The new rules eliminate redshirts and greatly reduce the use of waivers that have led to athletes playing for six, seven and eight years," Carlson writes. "The NCAA decided that athletes who had recently exhausted their eligibility under the old rules would not be given a fifth year of eligibility retroactively."

Carlson includes the information that the lawsuit says SU head coach Gary Gait is ready to take all five players onto next season's roster.

"My desire to return to Syracuse University is genuine," Spallina said in the court record, via Carlson.

Spallina wore the legendary No. 22 at Syracuse and scored more points than anyone in the history of the storied program.

He was also taken No. 3 overall in the Premier Lacrosse League Draft by the Maryland Whipsnakes and is now playing in that league.

If Spallina and his classmates can return, it'd be massive news in the lacrosse world.

MORE: Kiyan Anthony adds key element to his game from his dad