Thought everyone was on vacation! Agree - 5in5 will pass, d2 may follow quickly. Still unclear how a player in another Division just gets the 5th year in D1. If D2 and D3 kids can just transfer for only that year 5, then I don't see how d2 doesn't also quickly pass it to try and compete to keep their kids. (d2 considered it in Jan to NOT get scooped by D1 but may happen anyway) Full year MS season - would be surprised if it passed. Every other Fall or Spring team sport will raise hell and oppose it or maybe also want it?? I wonder if you surveyed men's soccer players explaining their new full year season commitment and how they will lose mid-year transfer opportunities, how that would look? If it does pass, I wonder if some conferences might try to opt out and keep a fall championship, like they do for football - have 2 championships. (watching you Ivy League) Full year soccer will be expensive at lots of places, esp in the North and esp at smaller campuses sharing fields. Even lacrosse coaches were pissed this year about just starting their season earlier and getting snowed out - even on turf fields. BTW - when the joint basketball committee recently passed the "foreign tour every year" policy, the D1 Cabinet just said it applies to all sports. That would be shocking for full-year seasons but these are crazy times.
To your point, I live in the northeast and I have heard some real rumblings that if it passes a few men's programs are in serious jeopardy. A couple of Ivy assistants have also said it is a great unknown what the President's will do on that front. Glad the women aren't contemplating it any time soon and that we will get the clarity needed on 5 for 5 for coaches, players, and families to make fully informed decisions.
@RossDellenger In Denver last week at a meeting of DI conference commissioners, NCAA officials conveyed to them that a vote on the proposed 5-year, age-based eligibility standard is expected this week. Most believe there is overwhelming support for the concept, as there has been for months. 8:04 PM · Jun 22, 2026
Done deal. Heard it got approved unanimously. https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...eligibility-rule-college-football-basketball/
Ross Dellenger covering this pretty well has a primer graphic with details at his twitter account (linked 2 posts above). Lots of crap about this to avoid in social media as well! Will be VERY interesting to see how coaches/schools/conferences implement this. For Olympic sports like soccer who really need to plan their roster and budget over several classes, there are so many questions. Will kids be offered a 5th year selectively or will some expect it or demand it. If an avg player wants that 5th fall for a legit academic reason, are they entitled to it? Will some coaches just say we need a forward and you're a back so...sorry. Of course, many players will plan for that 5th season and not use it for lots of reasons, injury/career/pro contracts. So the definition of "satisfactory academic progress" is about to drive some compliance folks crazy. Are schools going to adopt 9 or 10-semester academic plans for undergrad athletes now, instead of 8-semester? Some easier academic Minor programs or Graduate Certificate programs are going to become pretty popular. No question that Class of 2027 kids will get very squeezed (there will be decommits), as well as 2028 commits slowed somewhat while coaches panic who think they need more roster room. The inflow of new players will take time to adjust itself, which just happened with the 28 player roster limit. I think it's @ImYouthSoccer that has put out a graphic listing of the largest D1 classes of 26 and 27. It was funny to see Pitt listed who will just fire half their freshmen class every year like they always do. No question, this change will cause other coaches to become much more "transactional". The buzzword in D1 sports, which is just crazy right now...
It’s a bloodbath. So sickening especially for all the 27 recruits getting their offer pulled a year into it. Sickening
Bloodbath indeed. 15 current athletes (I dont know which sports) have already sued the NCAA because the 5th year starts next year and they're out of eligibility this year.
The NCAA knew this would happen and the short term pain that is coming, but this was a wildly popular rule (even with student leadership). The sad thing is the suing lawyers know they will lose this case in the long run. Like the Sorsby case, they just hope to find a sympathetic judge who will give them an injunction which would allow them to play waiting for the case to be adjudicated. Add to it, the very schools that want this rule in place will quietly support these lawsuits. The NCAA has lost a lot of public lawsuits, but it is rarely mentioned that they win a significant portion of the eligibility lawsuits (I think like 70%). They will win this one in the end just a matter whether the judge is fooled by their argument.
What is thinking behind giving players another year of eligibility? Why? I think it's fine as it is now--you get another if you have an injury and miss a year---but otherwise what's behind this?
Post #43 from this thread among other takes. I think it should link or post below. The paragraph about it not being about D1 FB and BB is now exactly what D1 5in5 is about and avoiding eligibility lawsuits about loss of income/economic opportunity. I still think there may not be as many 5th year kids as some are expecting in sports like women's soccer which was a point here...
That did not take too long at all. Looks like Class of 2027 kids may find it tough to get a spot or a good offer in D2 as well. No idea what D3 is thinking... DII Management Council recommends emergency legislation to adopt age-based eligibility model for 2026-27 https://www.ncaa.org/dii-management...dopt-age-based-eligibility-model-for-2026-27/
So, a judge in CO decided Friday that EVERY 2026 college Sr (HS class of 2022), should get a 5th year to play...so this current year..right now! Sounds crazy and rushed and will be chaos if it stands. NCAA appealing and will be interesting if there are a few Court of Appeals judges not on vacation this week! NCAA plans to appeal federal judge's injunction granting fifth year of eligibility to Class of 2022 student-athletes https://sports.yahoo.com/college-sp...class-of-2022-student-athletes-214813637.html
I'm not versed on the details of the lawsuits, but I thought the current settlement is the result of a class action lawsuit. If the players involved in the current case were members of the class and did not opt out, I don't see how the current case can be legitimate. They would be bound by the settlement. Does anyone know the details about this?
The judge in the CO case from Friday defined the "class" as any HS Class of 2022 graduate that played 4 consecutive seasons in Division 1. Apparently, she specifically said she did not rule on any parts of the House Settlement or other NCAA By-Laws, she just added a year of eligibility for those HS 2022 grads for the 26-27 school year. Presently, (Monday 8/3 at noonish) that means there will not be a new or special transfer portal for these kids. So, by current transfer rules, any of them could enter the portal now as Grad Students, could wait for the next/Dec portal window, OR they could play asap at their current or most recent school. Ross Dellinger has the best reporting on this and is linked in the Yahoo article above and on X. We are about to see how fast the NCAA appeal is considered... Easiest thing seems to be for the appeals court to just limit the definition of the 'class' to only those directly involved in the CO case.
Interesting. I heard from a current athlete that the eligibility could only be applied to their current school. That seemed strange, but maybe no more strange than all the other changes.
There are so many nuances to this. What about the 2021 class. Everyone before them got an extra year because of COVID and now if this 2022 thing is to be believed. Everyone after them is getting 5 years as well. There will be another lawsuit at some point (whether it gets passed or not is an entirely different argument). But were in the player power era - you don't like something, get a bunch of people together and sue.
Who has added 5th year players to their roster based on the injunction? Do you think it will have a big impact in any of the P4 leagues.
If this happens it will only be for student athletes at the current schools they played for. There no transfer portal available now. The windows for the portal are 30 days after fall regular season ends and May 1-15. So if you are under 28 players have an open roster spot, and have someone at your school that wants to play, you could bring them back on your team. Think that will be a pretty small number of players for this very specific situation.
Keep in mind about the DSA's - If rosters of 28 have 2 DSA's they can actually add two more players. Still think the numbers will be small though - considering a lot of those seniors have likely entered the work force or playing professionally
Just an FYI for most of you. D2 officially adopts the D1 age-based eligibility model/5 in 5 rule, STARTING with currently enrolled students. All current SAs in D1 or 2 can choose the current rules so essentially the age requirement is grandfathered in and will really start with HS Class of 2027. Current students all get the 5th year though so that means starting 27-28 school year. About 2026 Srs, who played 4 years but some are suing for a 5th, they made the following statement directly addressing it. The CO case is called Wisne vs NCAA, the judge is Sweeney, and was specific for D1 only. Not so many lawsuits in D2 as there is so much less money available so at stake, or at risk, for the SA. (imho, this statement is interesting as you could apply that 2nd sentence to HS class of 2027 or even 2028 commits right?) The Division II Executive Board and Management Council said in a joint statement. “Student-athletes who exhausted their eligibility by 2025-26 have received the full period of eligibility permitted by NCAA bylaws and the life-changing benefits college sports provides. Giving student-athletes another season would disrupt expected roster spots and playing time ahead of the upcoming seasons and alter financial aid packages for countless student-athletes, including incoming freshmen who are beginning (or have begun) their college athletics experience.”
This seems to effect men much more than women in my mind since they are bringing in 20+ year old freshman. Will be interesting to see how all this shakes out. I think it will get worse before it gets better
There are now a few notable examples out there - That is, 2025-26 Seniors ready to play for a 5th year, in accordance with the CO Wisne Case and Injunction. These are two big additions for WMU (if the NCAA's appeal fails).Would seem go from the middle of the MAC in my projections to favorites to win the league again. https://t.co/J1MYfM58ep— Chris Henderson (@chris_awk) August 12, 2026