Filip Borovicanin, MJ Collins file lawsuit against NCAA on age-based eligibility model

Key Points:

• Fifteen athletes, including Xavier’s Filip Borovicanin and Cincinnati’s MJ Collins, have filed a lawsuit against the NCAA challenging the new age-based eligibility model, seeking an injunction to allow them to play in the 2026-27 college basketball season.
• The lawsuit argues that the NCAA's plan to limit eligibility based on age unfairly excludes current seniors who graduated high school in 2022 and did not redshirt, violating Ohio's covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
• The NCAA's age-based eligibility model starts an athlete’s eligibility clock upon full-time college enrollment or after their 19th birthday, with implementation beginning this summer and applying only to recruits starting in 2027.
• Athletes enrolled after the 2025-26 academic year can choose to follow the new age-based rules or continue under previous eligibility criteria, whichever benefits them most.
• The lawsuit was filed by attorneys Darren Heitner and Ryan Downton, and the NCAA's Cabinet decision on the age-based model is pending final approval following a meeting scheduled for June 22 or 23.