A Red
Shirt Freshman is a student on an NCAA college sports
team who was kept out of competition for a year in order to prolong his or her eligibility. Usually this is
done to allow the student to be a "part" of the
team in terms of learning, healing from injury, and/or conditioning, but not a participant in any of the contests/games/meets/etc.
The following year, they begin their 1st of 4 years of eligibility, or their "freshman" year of eligibility, even if they are sophomores in terms of academics.