US News
NCAA eligibility rule triggers legal battles over professional players returning to college sports
Conflicting state and federal court decisions over a new five-year eligibility rule have allowed some former college athletes and professional signees to seek roster spots for the upcoming season.
The short version
- A new NCAA rule granting athletes five years of eligibility applied to the high school class of 2023, excluding the class of 2022 and prompting a wave of lawsuits from affected players.
- Athletes who entered professional sports, including former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright, are seeking to return to college teams after state judges issued injunctions favoring the players.
- A federal court order granting the class of 2022 eligibility at their original schools was temporarily halted on appeal, but at least 10 state and county court rulings favoring players remain active.
- It remains uncertain how pending legal appeals and conference restrictions will affect roster spots and portal transfers as the college football and basketball seasons approach.
Key facts
- The NCAA introduced a rule in June allowing college athletes five seasons of eligibility within five years, starting with those who graduated high school in 2023.[Associated Press]
- Excluded members of the high school class of 2022 filed lawsuits arguing the decision deprived them of education opportunities and potential name, image, and likeness (NIL) financial benefits.[Associated Press]
- A Denver federal judge ruled in favor of basketball player Brock Wisne's class-action suit to allow the class of 2022 to return to their former schools, but an appeals court temporarily halted the order.[Associated Press]
- At least 26 eligibility lawsuits have been filed in state and county courts nationwide, with judges granting favorable temporary orders or injunctions for players in at least 10 instances.[Associated Press]
- Undrafted tight end Dae’Quan Wright, who had summer tryouts with NFL teams, reached a deal to play at LSU after a state judge's ruling reopened the transfer portal for a week.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- It is unclear whether state court injunctions permitting intra-conference transfers will take precedence over internal athletic conference rules, such as the SEC's restrictions on transfer windows.[Associated Press]
- The final resolution of the federal antitrust lawsuit remains pending, with legal experts noting appeals may not conclude until after the current sports seasons end.[Associated Press]