Caden Powell, a 6‑foot‑9 center who transferred to Baylor after stints at Wyoming and Rice, has been awarded an extra year of eligibility following a preliminary injunction in his lawsuit against the NCAA.
The injunction is part of a broader shift in NCAA policy that replaces the traditional redshirt system with an age‑based eligibility framework, allowing athletes to compete for up to five years starting from their 19th birthday or high school graduation.
A new eligibility landscape
Under the new model, players who were fourth‑year seniors in the 2025‑26 academic year can still participate in the 2026‑27 season, provided they meet the age or graduation criteria.
Powell’s case attracted attention because he had already exhausted his athletic scholarships and was facing a potential end to his collegiate career, but the court’s decision now secures his fifth year.
At Baylor, Powell appeared in 34 games last season, starting 20 and posting averages of 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game. His presence helped alleviate a thin center rotation that relied heavily on redshirted Juslin Bodo Bodo and Mayo Soyoye.
The Bears will enter the 2026‑27 campaign with a more robust frontcourt, as Bodo Bodo and Soyoye return alongside UAB transfer Evan Chatman, who is eligible to play as a fifth‑year outfielder.
The ruling also signals that the NCAA may limit future eligibility waivers, reserving them for rare circumstances, thereby tightening the overall scholarship budget for Division I programs.
Powell, a native of Waco, Texas, began his high school career at Midway High School before moving through Wyoming, Rice and finally Baylor, where he hopes to contribute to a resurgence of the program.