Trending Now - NCAA Proposes Age-based Eligibility Changes for Athletes

WHO:

On3 - Tim Sands, president at Virginia Tech and chair of the Division I Board of Directors

On3 - Sam Edwards, football student-athlete at Michigan State and member of the board

A Sea Of Blue - NCAA President Charlie Baker

A Sea Of Blue - Otega Oweh, Kentucky Wildcats guard

On3 - Ryan Day, head coach at Ohio State

On3 - Pete Golding, head coach at Ole Miss

WHAT:

The New York Times - The potential rule change would not apply to current athletes who competed or are competing in the 2025-26 academic year.

A Sea Of Blue - NCAA President Charlie Baker stated, “If you’ve used up your eligibility, you’ve used it up,” regarding the non-retroactive nature of the proposal.

On3 - The NCAA Division I Board of Directors is recommending a new age-based eligibility concept that would give student-athletes five years of eligibility.

On3 - The new model allows student-athletes up to five years of eligibility beginning the regular academic year after they turn 19 or graduate from high school.

On3 - The board does not support grandfathering existing student-athletes into the five-for-five eligibility model.

On3 - Student-athletes competing in the 2025-26 academic year will be bound by the four seasons of competition in five years of eligibility rule.

A Sea Of Blue - The 5-in-5 proposal is expected to pass, granting college athletes five playing seasons in a five-year window.

A Sea Of Blue - NCAA President Charlie Baker stated that the proposal will not apply retroactively to graduating college seniors or players with exhausted eligibility.

WHERE:

On3 - The NCAA Division I Board of Directors meeting took place in the United States.

A Sea Of Blue - Otega Oweh and Denzel Aberdeen were practicing in St. Louis, MO, ahead of the NCAA Tournament.

WHEN:

On3 - The NCAA Division I Cabinet is expected to meet on May 22 to further discuss the proposal.

WRAL - The new eligibility standard could be implemented by the start of the 2026-27 school year.

On3 - The NCAA Division I Cabinet is expected to meet on May 22 to further discuss the proposal.

WRAL - The new eligibility standard could be implemented by the start of the 2026-27 school year.

On3 - The NCAA Division I Cabinet will meet on May 22 to further discuss the proposal.

On3 - The NCAA Division I Cabinet will meet in May to further discuss the proposal.

On3 - The new eligibility standard could be implemented by the start of the 2026-27 school year.

WHY:

WRAL - The NCAA is seeking uniformity and a solution to litigation over eligibility rules.

WRAL - President Trump signed an executive order in April directing the NCAA to create rules around five years of eligibility.

WRAL - The NCAA is seeking uniformity and a solution to litigation over eligibility rules.

On3 - Tim Sands stated, “The time is now to reform the period of eligibility rules to provide Division I student-athletes and our schools clear and consistent standards that align with current college athletes’ experiences.”

The New York Times - The proposal requires schools to cover tuition for athletes to finish their education for up to 10 years should they leave the institution before completing a degree.

On3 - The changes aim to provide clear and consistent standards that align with current college athletes’ experiences and protect opportunities for high school student-athletes.

On3 - Coaches support the eligibility change to simplify roster management and reduce concerns about redshirting and eligibility retention.

HOW:

WRAL - The new model would include exceptions for pregnancy, military service, and religious missions.

WRAL - President Trump signed an executive order in April directing the NCAA to create rules around five years of eligibility.

WRAL - The new model would include exceptions for pregnancy, military service, and religious missions.

On3 - The NCAA expressed support for a proposal to maintain Division I core guarantees, including degree-completion funding for up to 10 years after a student-athlete’s eligibility expires if they have not yet earned a degree.

On3 - The new age-based model was produced by the Cabinet and discussed by the board.

A Sea Of Blue - NCAA President Charlie Baker indicated that the proposal will not be implemented retroactively, meaning players who have exhausted their eligibility will not benefit from the new rule.

(UPDATED April 29, 2026 04:12 UTC)

The NCAA Division I Cabinet is set to meet on May 22 to discuss a new eligibility standard aimed at creating uniformity and addressing ongoing litigation over eligibility rules. This initiative follows an executive order signed by Trump in April, which directs the NCAA to establish guidelines for five years of eligibility. The proposed model will also include exceptions for circumstances such as pregnancy, military service, and religious missions, with the goal of implementing these changes by the start of the 2026-27 school year.

(UPDATED April 28, 2026 17:29 UTC)

The NCAA Division I Cabinet is set to meet on May 22 to further discuss a proposal aimed at establishing new eligibility standards, which could be implemented by the start of the 2026-27 school year. This initiative comes as the NCAA seeks uniformity and a resolution to ongoing litigation regarding eligibility rules, following an executive order signed by Trump in April that directed the organization to create guidelines around five years of eligibility. The proposed model would also include exceptions for circumstances such as pregnancy, military service, and religious missions.

(UPDATED April 28, 2026 13:27 UTC)

The NCAA Division I Cabinet is set to meet on May 22 to discuss a proposal aimed at reforming eligibility rules for student-athletes. Tim Sands emphasized the need for clear and consistent standards that reflect the current experiences of college athletes. The NCAA is backing a plan to uphold core guarantees, which would include degree-completion funding for up to 10 years after a student-athlete's eligibility ends if they haven't earned their degree.

(UPDATED April 28, 2026 07:54 UTC)

The NCAA Division I Cabinet will meet on May 22 to discuss a proposal that would require schools to cover tuition for athletes who leave before completing their degree, allowing them to finish their education for up to ten years. However, this potential rule change would not apply to current athletes who competed or are competing in the 2025-26 academic year, as NCAA President Charlie Baker emphasized that “if you’ve used up your eligibility, you’ve used it up.” This non-retroactive nature of the proposal has sparked significant interest and discussion within the collegiate sports community.

(UPDATED April 28, 2026 05:56 UTC)

The NCAA Division I Board of Directors is recommending a new age-based eligibility concept that would allow student-athletes five years of eligibility, starting the regular academic year after they turn 19 or graduate from high school. NCAA President Charlie Baker confirmed that this proposal, which aims to align with the experiences of current college athletes, will not apply retroactively to those who have already exhausted their eligibility. The NCAA Division I Cabinet is set to meet in May to discuss this proposal further, with the new eligibility standard potentially being implemented by the start of the 2026-27 school year.