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NCAA Approves Age-Based Rule Allowing Up to Five Seasons

9/9/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The NCAA Division I Cabinet approved an age-based rule granting athletes up to five seasons.
The rule applies to athletes enrolling no later than the academic year after their 19th birthday and ends redshirt waivers.
More than 50 state and federal lawsuits were filed because the 2022 high-school class is not grandfathered.
UNC player Cameron Fens joined a July 6 lawsuit that a judge stayed on Aug. 19.

History

Historical Context

In 1972 the NCAA Council voted to let freshmen compete on varsity teams, ending a rule that had barred them since the sport’s early years. The change instantly added about 1,200 athletes and grew Division I rosters by roughly 15 percent. Today the Division I Cabinet’s five-season rule, challenged by UNC’s Cameron Fens, echoes that 1972 eligibility overhaul.

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Story summary

The NCAA Division I Cabinet approved an age-based rule granting athletes up to five seasons.
The rule applies to athletes enrolling no later than the academic year after their 19th birthday and ends redshirt waivers.
More than 50 state and federal lawsuits were filed because the 2022 high-school class is not grandfathered.
UNC player Cameron Fens joined a July 6 lawsuit that a judge stayed on Aug. 19.

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