The NCAA announced this week that Division I student‑athletes will now have a five‑year window to complete up to five seasons of competition, a change that takes effect for the 2026‑27 academic year. The policy shifts from a traditional four‑year limit to an age‑based model that ties eligibility to full‑time enrollment or the academic year following a student's 19th birthday.
Implications for College Hockey Recruits
For the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) hockey program, the new rule creates a mixed picture for the incoming class of 2026‑27. Coach Scott Sandelin will bring in five freshmen, but the distribution of eligibility varies widely among them.
Kade Kohanski and Keith McInnis will remain under the previous four‑season framework, meaning they will have four years of eligibility after enrolling. In contrast, Carl Axelsson, Carter Murphy and Victor Plante will each receive a full five‑year eligibility period at UMD, allowing them to potentially extend their collegiate careers.
The flexibility extends beyond the classroom. Jackson Marthaler and Luke Puchner can now compete in junior hockey during the 2026‑27 season without jeopardizing their NCAA status, while four other Bulldogs recruits would lose eligibility if they pursue junior opportunities in the same year.
The NCAA also imposed roster caps that limit how early programs can bring recruits onto the roster, a measure designed to preserve the integrity of the eligibility timeline but which adds another layer of strategy for coaches planning scholarship allocations.
Legal repercussions are already emerging. A group of basketball players has announced plans to sue the NCAA to reclaim a fifth season of eligibility, and similar actions are expected across other sports. The organization’s decision has sparked debate among athletes, coaches and administrators about the balance between competitive fairness and academic progress.
Beyond UMD, the new policy reverberates through the broader college hockey ecosystem. Prospects from Canada, the United States and Europe will weigh the extended window against other factors such as academic fit and professional aspirations, potentially reshaping recruitment pipelines for programs nationwide.