The NCAA announced this week that its Division I Cabinet has given the green light to a five-year, age-based eligibility framework that will let student-athletes remain eligible for up to five seasons of competition.
Under the new structure, a player's eligibility clock starts when they enroll full-time in college or when they turn 19 at the start of the academic year, whichever comes first. That means a student who begins college at 18 can still have five years to play, effectively replacing the traditional redshirt system and the patchwork of waivers that have long been contested in court.
NCAA president Charlie Baker said the existing rules have served college sports for decades, but the association has decided to modernize them to reflect the way athletes progress today. "We wanted a model that aligns eligibility with the actual timeline of a student's academic career," Baker explained.
Schools now have the option to adopt either the historic eligibility rules or the new age-based model, though most are expected to transition to the latter for all current athletes. Freshmen entering next fall will automatically fall under the new framework.
What the new model means for college sports
The change could have a direct impact on programs such as Iowa State basketball, where several players might be able to extend their collegiate careers by an additional season. Coach T.J. Otzelberger could see his roster reshaped as a result.
Because the rule eliminates the need for redshirts and waivers, teams can plan their scholarship allocations more predictably, and athletes can focus on development rather than navigating complex eligibility appeals.
While the NCAA says the new model will not grant an extra year to those who have already exhausted their eligibility, the flexibility it provides may still allow some seniors to return for a fifth season if they meet the age criteria.
The policy shift underscores a broader trend of the NCAA adjusting its regulations to better accommodate the evolving landscape of college athletics.