NCAA DI Board of Directors recommends to advance age

Key Points:

• The NCAA Division I Board of Directors recommends moving forward with an age-based eligibility model granting student-athletes five years of eligibility starting the academic year after they turn 19 or graduate high school, pending adoption by the Division I Cabinet.
• Existing student-athletes will not be grandfathered into the new five-year eligibility rule; those competing in 2025-26 will remain under the current four seasons in five years rule, preventing one-time roster exemptions like those post-COVID-19.
• The new model aims to simplify eligibility rules, eliminate redshirt complexities, and provide clearer standards for athletes and schools, with support from stakeholders including student-athlete Sam Edwards and coaches like Ohio State’s Ryan Day and Ole Miss’ Pete Golding.
• The NCAA also supports maintaining Division I core guarantees, including degree-completion funding up to 10 years after eligibility expires, with further discussions scheduled for May.
• If adopted, the new eligibility standard could be implemented by the 2026-27 school year, potentially ending redshirts and waivers except in very specific cases, and easing roster management challenges for coaches.