Mississippi State’s football program is waiting for the final word on a recent NCAA injunction that grants a fifth year of eligibility to high school graduates from the class of 2022 who have exhausted their athletic eligibility. The measure, approved by a Colorado district judge, does not alter transfer‑portal rules or roster caps, but it does open a narrow pathway for certain former players to return.
Coaches weigh roster options
Head coach Jeff Lebby has said he will keep his focus on the players already on campus while the university sorts out the practical implications of the new eligibility window. Lebby emphasized that any additions will have to fit within existing scholarship limits and team dynamics.
In women’s basketball, coach Sam Purcell has voiced interest in bolstering the frontcourt with height, noting that two international prospects are currently awaiting visa approvals. The potential addition of players like Trayanna Crisp, a former MSU guard, and Kharyssa Richardson, who is now with the Hayward Reign in the WNBA, illustrates how the injunction could reshape scholarship allocations across sports.
The softball staff must also reconsider its roster after the ruling opened the door for seniors such as Nadia Barbary and Kiarra Sells to re‑enroll. Coach Samantha Ricketts has indicated that space will need to be cleared, even as the men’s basketball program sits just one scholarship above the NCAA limit, a situation that coach Chris Jans has described as a tight spot that limits flexibility for any new additions.
Baseball presents a mixed picture. Pitcher Gatlin Sanders becomes eligible under the injunction, while players who have already signed professional contracts, including Ben Davis and Blake Bevis, are barred from returning. The distinction hinges on whether a player has entered a pro agreement, which the NCAA treats as a permanent exit from collegiate eligibility.
Legal context and future outlook
The injunction stems from a lawsuit filed in Colorado that sought to extend eligibility for those whose final season was cut short by the pandemic. While the court’s decision grants a fifth year to qualifying graduates, it leaves intact the existing transfer‑portal framework and does not automatically create additional scholarship slots. Administrators across MSU’s athletic departments are now reviewing how the ruling interacts with sport‑specific scholarship caps and scholarship‑count rules.