A Federal Court’s Landmark Ruling
The U.S. District Court in Colorado, presided over by Judge Charlotte Sweeney, issued a class‑wide preliminary injunction that forces the NCAA to grant an additional year of eligibility to Division I athletes who began competition in the 2022‑23 season and would otherwise have exhausted their four‑year limit by the 2025‑26 academic year.
The decision is provisional; the NCAA has announced its intention to appeal, but the ruling takes immediate effect, making athletes who meet the criteria eligible to compete in the upcoming season.
Implications for Wisconsin and Braeden Carrington
Among those who could benefit is Wisconsin Badgers guard Braeden Carrington, who entered his fourth year of college play in 2024‑25 and had been slated to finish his eligibility after the previous campaign.
Wisconsin’s men’s basketball program entered August with a single scholarship slot still open, a vacancy that the court’s ruling could help fill by allowing Carrington to return for a fifth season.
The injunction’s broader implications extend beyond Wisconsin, affecting any Division I athlete who meets the criteria and raising questions about the future governance of college athletics.
NCAA’s Response and Call for Congressional Action
NCAA President Charlie Baker criticized the judicial intervention, arguing that it creates a patchwork of eligibility rules and undermines the organization’s ability to enforce uniform standards across member institutions.
Baker warned that without legislative relief, “failed professionals” might exploit college sports as a fallback, potentially crowding out younger athletes who rely on scholarships.
He called on Congress to pass the Protect College Sports Act, which he says would provide a permanent solution to the eligibility dilemma.