Less than 24 hours after the NCAA voted to pass a new “age-based” eligibility model, players have filed a lawsuit to challenge its implementation.
The NCAA’s new policy allows players five years to complete as many seasons as possible, starting when they enroll in college or turn 19, and eliminates redshirts and waivers (except for a few extenuating circumstances like military service, pregnancy, and religious missions). As a result, players across sports will have the opportunity to play five seasons, although the policy won’t apply to players who have already exhausted their four seasons of eligibility.
On Wednesday, 15 men’s and women’s basketball players in this situation—who will not be able to have the fifth season in 2026-27—filed a lawsuit in Hamilton County, Ohio, against the NCAA. All of these players graduated from high school in 2022 and have played four seasons in the NCAA between 2022 and this past year. Under the new rules, they would theoretically have another year of eligibility. But the NCAA opted to exclude them from the new policy, saying it only applies to athletes who haven’t completed four years between 2022 and now.
The lawsuit is requesting a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction requiring the NCAA to allow these players eligibility this fall.
