NCAA Board Pushes Five-Year, Age-Based Eligibility: What Would Change
By faNILy Team ·
The NCAA took a big step toward rewriting how long college athletes can play. On April 27, the Division I Board of Directors directed the DI Cabinet to advance an age-based eligibility model. If adopted, it would end the familiar "five years to play four" system.
What the board wants
Under the concept, athletes would get up to five years of eligibility, beginning the academic year after they turn 19 or graduate high school, whichever comes first. The big change: they wouldn't be limited to four seasons inside that window. In practice, that means the traditional redshirt year goes away.
According to ESPN reporting cited by WRAL, the model would include exceptions for pregnancy, military service and religious missions.
Board chair Tim Sands, the Virginia Tech president, framed it as overdue: "The time is now to reform the period of eligibility rules to provide Division I student-athletes and our schools clear and consistent standards that align with current college athletes' experiences."
Michigan State football player Sam Edwards, who sits on the board, said it "makes a world of sense in football for coaches and players alike, especially in the context of roster limits."
Who it covers, and who it doesn't
- Current rules stay in place for athletes competing in 2025-26.
- The new model would apply to athletes with eligibility remaining in 2026-27.
- It isn't expected to be retroactive for athletes whose eligibility runs out this spring.
That last point is already drawing frustration. WRAL noted the new rules wouldn't apply to players who've completed their eligibility under the old rules, such as North Carolina basketball player Seth Trimble. Former UNC, Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt player Tyler Nickel vented on social media: "So we had to play with and against 5th years our entire time in college but we don't get one?" WRAL also reported the NCAA could face legal challenges from players left out.
Why now
Eligibility has been a legal headache for the NCAA. WRAL pointed to Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who won a sixth season in court this spring, as one of the high-profile cases pushing the association to set a cleaner standard.
There's also pressure from Washington. President Trump's April executive order on college sports called for rules permitting participation for no more than a five-year period, with limited exceptions such as military and missionary service.
The board took other steps at the same meeting, too. It took action on transfer portal rules and advanced a proposal directing the infractions process to presume a violation in cases of impermissible contact with athletes.
What happens next
The Cabinet is expected to take up the proposal at its May meeting. Until then, nothing changes for athletes on campus this spring.
What it means for fans
If this goes through, you'll know more clearly how long your favorite players can stick around. No more guessing about redshirts or waiting on waiver decisions. A five-year window could also mean more athletes playing five full seasons at one school, which gives fans more time to follow them and gives athletes more time to build a personal brand.
For families of high school athletes, the clock matters even more. If eligibility starts at 19 or graduation, decisions about gap years and reclassifying could look very different.
We'll keep watching the Cabinet's vote and how the rule handles current athletes.