Judge Orders NCAA to Grandfather Athletes Into Eligibility Model

The NCAA’s new age-based eligibility policy has lost its first legal battle.

On Thursday, Hamilton County, Ohio, judge Chris Wagner granted an injunction to force the NCAA to allow 24 athletes who graduated high school in 2022 and completed four collegiate seasons a fifth year of eligibility—thus grandfathering them into the new policy passed just a few weeks ago.

While the injunction requires only that the NCAA grant eligibility to the current plaintiffs, it could force the NCAA to allow thousands of similarly situated athletes another year in college sports. The NCAA could, however, appeal the ruling. Additionally, a legal team including attorneys Darren Heitner and Ryan Downton has filed one other lawsuit, so there will be more injunction decisions to come.

For now, however, Heitner wrote on X: “THE FIRST BATTLE IS WON.”

The lawsuit was first filed by 15 men’s and women’s basketball players on June 24 (now up to a total of 24), just one day after the NCAA voted to approve a new “age-based eligibility model” that would allow players five years to complete up to five seasons beginning during the season after their 19th birthday or when they enroll in college. The new policy eliminated redshirting (which previously allowed players to compete in four seasons over five years) and waivers, except in a few extenuating circumstances, including pregnancy, military service, and religious missions. In addition to giving players more opportunities in college sports, the new policy was intended to make NCAA eligibility restrictions less susceptible to legal challenges.